International Space Station

Benefits for Humanity

2nd Edition

This book was developed collaboratively by the members of

the International Space Station Program Science Forum, which
includes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), European Space Agency
(ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Russian
Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), and the Italian Space
Agency (ASI).

NP-2015-01-001-JSC

i
Acknowledgements
A Product of the ISS Program Science Forum Executive Editor:
Julie Robinson, NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
Managing Editor:
Julie Robinson, Pete Hasbrook, Amelia Rai, Tara Ruttley,
Amelia Rai, NASA
Camille Alleyne, Cynthia Evans, William Stefanov, Michael Read,
Kirt Costello, David Hornyak, Tracy Thumm, Susan Anderson, Section Editors:
Joshua Byerly, Joshua Buck Camille Alleyne, Kirt Costello, David Hornyak,
Michael Read, Tara Ruttley, William Stefanov; NASA
Canadian Space Agency:
Nicole Buckley, Luchino Cohen, Ruth Ann Chicoine, Technical Editor:
Christine Gigure Neesha Hosein, DB Consulting Group, Inc.
European Space Agency: Graphic Designer:
Martin Zell, Eric Istasse, Jason Hatton, Jennifer Ngo-Anh, Cynthia Bush, DB Consulting Group, Inc.
Nigel Savage, Jon Weems
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency:
Shigeki Kamigaichi, Kazuyuki Tasaki, Sayaka Umemura,
Koki Oikawa, Hideyuki Watanabe, Nobuyoshi Fujimoto,
Masato Koyama, Yayoi Miyagawa, Tatsuya Aiba,
Shiho Ogawa, Toshitami Ikeda
Russian Federal Space Agency:
Georgy Karabadzhak, Elena Lavrenko, Igor Sorokin,
Natalya Zhukova, Nataliya Biryukova, Mark Belakovskiy,
Anna Kussmaul
Italian Space Agency:
Salvatore Pignataro, Jean Sabbagh, Germana Galoforo

ii
 About the Cover Art
Human
Several themes are integrated into the cover art for this 2nd International Space Station
Health
Benefits for Humanity. The most central theme is that of bringing light to the darkness,
as indicated by the predominantly nighttime view of Earth, with both the station crew and
the populace over which it soars on the verge of experiencing a new dawn. The Earth view
chosen includes some of the most underdeveloped regions on the planet; home to people
Earth whose lives stand to gain the greatest enrichment from the groundbreaking research being
conducted high overhead.
Observation
and Disaster The double-headed arrow, which can be interpreted to be a stylized representation of the
space stations orbital flight path, is also the visual centerpiece for two of the remaining
Response themes. The double arrow points both behind the stationback toward Earth, and
ahead of the stationforward past the Earth, to the moon, Mars, and to far more distant
destinations. This highlights the dual charter of station research to improve life on Earth and
to lay the technological groundwork for human expansion beyond low-Earth orbit.
Innovative The arrows color shift from silver to gold represents the third theme: Invest silver, get
Technology back gold. This theme pays homage to the manifold benefits of knowledge realized
through international investment in the space station. It also celebrates gold of another
kind, the enrichment of life on Earth that is the subject of this volume. These benefits for
humanity are represented by five gold medallions, each signifying a major area of emphasis:
Human Health, Earth Observation and Disaster Response, Innovative Technology, Global
Education, and Economic Development of Space.
Global The final theme is also the most subtle. Although this is a publication coordinated by
Education NASA, the NASA logo is absent from the front cover, in deference to the fact that the
benefits chronicled herein are a result, not of any single nations efforts, nor those of one
nation above others, but of unprecedented international partnership and cooperation.
This is a benefit for humanity in and of itself, one which promises incalculable rewards
not only in such tangibles as heightened international commerce, but perhaps most
importantly, in greater cross-cultural understanding and tolerance, the very foundation for
Economic humanitysfuture.
Development Michael C. Jansen
of Space December 2014

iii
Book Highlights
Robotic arms lend a healing touch
The worlds first robotic technology capable of performing surgery inside magnetic
resonance machines makes difficult surgeries easier or impossible surgeries possible.
Page 3

Improved eye surgery with space hardware

An eye-tracking device allows the tracking of eye position without interfering
with a surgeons work during corrective laser eye surgery.
Page 6

Bringing space station ultrasound to the ends of the Earth

Small ultrasound units, tele-medicine and remote guidance
techniques make medical care more accessible in remote regions.
Page 8

High-quality protein crystal growth experiment aboard Kibo

Protein crystal growth experiments contribute to the development of medical
treatments. JAXA is making positive advancements in research on obstinate
diseases through experiments in space.
Page 23
Earth remote sensing from the space station
ISS contributes to humanity by collecting data on global climate, environmental
change, and natural hazards using its unique complement of crew-operated
and automated Earth observation payloads.
Page 51
Advanced ISS technology supports water purification efforts worldwide
At-risk areas can gain access to advanced water filtration and purification systems affording
them clean drinking water.
Page 65

Tomatosphere: Sowing the seeds of discovery through student science

This award-winning educational project with an estimated 3 million students participating is
helping researchers answer questions about growing food in space while teaching students
about science, agriculture and nutrition.
Page 94
Calling cosmonauts from home
Currently aboard the Russian segment of the station are four space
investigations that have educational components to inspire future generations
of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.
Page 104
Commercialization of low-Earth orbit (LEO)
Forward-thinking, agile companies like NanoRacks and UrtheCast believe routine utilization
of the unique environment of outer space has come of age, and that at long last ISS is open
for business.
Page 112
Space mice teach us about muscle and bone loss
Biotech and pharmaceutical companies like Amgen use spaceflight to study their
drugs and do preclinical work important for FDA approval.
Page 129

iv
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments...........................................................................................................ii
About the Cover Art....................................................................................................... iii
Book Highlights..............................................................................................................iv
Executive Summary........................................................................................................ix
Introduction..................................................................................................................... x

Human Health 1
Health Technology...................................................................................................................................... 3
Robotic arms lend a healing touch............................................................................................................. 3
Robots from space lead to one-stop breast cancer diagnosis treatment.................................................... 5
Improved eye surgery with space hardware................................................................................................ 6
Sensor technologies for high-pressure jobs and operations ....................................................................... 7
Bringing space station ultrasound to the ends of the Earth ........................................................................ 8
Are you asthmatic? Your new helper comes from space .......................................................................... 10
Cold plasmas assist in wound healing...................................................................................................... 10

Preventing Bone Loss.............................................................................................................................. 13

Preventing bone loss in spaceflight with prophylactic use of bisphosphonate:
Health promotion of the elderly by space medicine technologies.............................................................. 13
Improved scanning technologies and insights into osteoporosis............................................................... 15
Good diet, proper exercise help protect astronauts bones ...................................................................... 15
Add salt? Astronauts bones say please dont.......................................................................................... 17

Immune Defenses..................................................................................................................................... 19
Early detection of immune changes prevents painful shingles in astronauts and
in Earth-bound patients............................................................................................................................ 19
Station immunology insights for Earth and space .................................................................................... 20
Targeted treatments to improve immune response................................................................................... 21

Developing New Therapies...................................................................................................................... 23

High-quality protein crystal growth experiment aboard Kibo..................................................................... 23
Cancer-targeted treatments from space station discoveries...................................................................... 25
Using weightlessness to treat multiple ailments........................................................................................ 26

Food and the Environment...................................................................................................................... 29

Microbiology applications from fungal research in space........................................................................... 29
Plant growth on ISS has global impacts on Earth..................................................................................... 30
Experiments with higher plants on the Russian Segment of the International Space Station..................... 32

v
Heart Health and Biorhythms.................................................................................................................. 35
Space cardiology for the benefit of health care......................................................................................... 35
Biological rhythms in space and on Earth................................................................................................. 36
Innovative space-based device promotes restful sleep on Earth............................................................... 37

Improving Balance and Movement......................................................................................................... 39

New technology simulates microgravity and improves balance on Earth................................................... 39
New ways to assess neurovestibular system health in space also benefits those on Earth ....................... 40
Space research leads to non-pharmacological treatment and prevention of vertigo, dizziness
and equilibrium disturbances.................................................................................................................... 42
Capturing the secrets of weightless movements for Earth applications..................................................... 44
Space technologies in the rehabilitation of movement disorders............................................................... 45

Earth Observation and Disaster Response 49

Environmental Earth Observations......................................................................................................... 51
Earth remote sensing from the space station ........................................................................................... 51
Coastal ocean sensing extended mission ................................................................................................ 53
Visual and instrumental scientific observation of the ocean from space .................................................... 54

Disaster Response................................................................................................................................... 57
Space station camera captures Earthly disaster scenes .......................................................................... 57
Clear high-definition images aid disaster response .................................................................................. 59

Innovative Technology 63
Fluids and Clean Water............................................................................................................................ 65
Advanced ISS technology supports water purification efforts worldwide .................................................. 65
Exploring the wonders of fluid motion:
Improving life on Earth through understanding the nature of Marangoni convection ................................. 66
Space station-inspired mWater app identifies healthy water sources ....................................................... 68
Space-tested fluid flow concept advances infectious disease diagnoses ................................................. 69

Materials.................................................................................................................................................... 71
Improving semiconductors with nanofibers .............................................................................................. 71
InSPACEs big news in the nano world .................................................................................................... 72

Satellites.................................................................................................................................................... 75
Deploying small satellites from ISS ........................................................................................................... 75
Pinpointing time and location ................................................................................................................... 77
Space station technology demonstration could boost a new era of satellite-servicing .............................. 78

Transportation Technology...................................................................................................................... 81
Cool flame research aboard space station may lead to a cleaner environment on Earth ........................... 81

Robotics.................................................................................................................................................... 83
Robonauts potential shines in multiple space, medical and industrial applications ................................... 83

vi
Global Education 87
Inspiring the next generation of students with the International Space Station ......................................... 89

Inquiry-based Learning............................................................................................................................ 91
Student scientists receive unexpected results from research in space ..................................................... 91
Europes alliance with space droids ......................................................................................................... 92
NASA has a HUNCH about student success in engineering..................................................................... 93
Tomatosphere: Sowing the seeds of discovery through student science .............................................. 94
Students photograph Earth from space via Sally Ride EarthKAM program ............................................... 96
Try zero G 2: Igniting the passion of the next generation in Asia ............................................................... 97

Inspiration................................................................................................................................................. 99
Asian students work with astronauts in space missions ........................................................................... 99
Educational benefits of the space experiment Shadow-beacon on ISS ............................................... 100
Students get fit the astronaut way ......................................................................................................... 102
Inspiring youth with a call to the International Space Station .................................................................. 103
Calling cosmonauts from home ............................................................................................................. 104
MAI-75 experiment, main results and prospects for development in education ...................................... 105

Economic Development of Space 109

Commercial Service Providers.............................................................................................................. 111
Water production in space: Thirsting for a solution ................................................................................. 111
Commercialization of low-Earth orbit (LEO)............................................................................................. 112
Innovative public-private partnerships for ISS cargo services: Part 1 ...................................................... 113
Innovative public-private partnerships for ISS cargo services: Part 2 ...................................................... 115
Precision pointing platform for Earth observations from the ISS.............................................................. 116
The Groundbreaker: Earth observation................................................................................................... 118
A flock of CubeSats photographs our changing planet........................................................................... 119
Stretch your horizons, Stay CuriousTM..................................................................................................... 120
Mission critical: Flatworm experiment races the clock after splashdown................................................. 122
Economic development of space in JAXA.............................................................................................. 123

Commercial Research........................................................................................................................... 127

Colloids in space: Where consumer products and science intersect ...................................................... 127
Space mice teach us about muscle and bone loss ................................................................................ 129
Protein crystals in microgravity .............................................................................................................. 130
Muscle atrophy: Mice on the ISS helping life on Earth ............................................................................ 131

Link to Archived Stories

and Videos .................................................................................................. 134
Authors and Principal Investigators by Section...................................................... 135

vii
viii
Executive Summary
The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique scientific platform that enables researchers from all over the
world to put their talents to work on innovative experiments that could not be done anywhere else. Although each
space station partner has distinct agency goals for station research, each partner shares a unified goal to extend
the resulting knowledge for the betterment of humanity. We may not know yet what will be the most important
discovery gained from the space station, but we already have some amazing breakthroughs.
In the areas of human health, innovative technology, education and observations of Earth from space, there are
already demonstrated benefits to people back on Earth. Lives have been saved, station-generated images assist
with disaster relief, new materials improve products, and education programs inspire future scientists, engineers
and space explorers. Some benefits in this updated second edition have expanded in scope. In other cases, new
benefits have developed.
Since the publication of the first edition, a new constituency has developed, one that is using the ISS in a totally
different fashionto develop a commercial market in low-Earth orbit. From pharmaceutical companies conducting
commercially-funded research on ISS, to private firms offering unique research capabilities and other services, to
commercial cargo and crew, the ISS is proving itself to be just as adaptable to new business relationships as it has
been for a broad diversity in research disciplines.
This book summarizes the scientific, technological and educational accomplishments of research on the space
station that have had and will continue to have an impact to life on Earth. All serve as examples of the space
stations potential as a groundbreaking research facility. Through advancing the state of scientific knowledge of our
planet, looking after our health, developing advanced technologies and providing a space platform that inspires
and educates the science and technology leaders of tomorrow, these benefits will drive the legacy of the space
station as its research strengthens economies and enhances the quality of life here on Earth for all people.

ix
Introduction
Welcome as we share the successes of the International Space Station (ISS) in this second edition of the
International Space Station Benefits for Humanity. The ISS is a unique scientific platform that has existed
since 1998 and has enabled over 2,400 researchers in 83 countries and areas to conduct more than 1,700
experiments in microgravity through just September 2014, and the research continues
Since November 2, 2000, the ISS has maintained a continuous human presence in space. Even before it was
habitable, the research began on the only orbiting laboratory of its kind. In 2011, when ISS assembly was
complete, the focus shifted to fully utilizing the lab for continued scientific research, technology development,
space exploration, commerce, and education.
The tremendous value of the ISS began through the engineering achievement evolving over a decade.
Components were built in various countries around the worldall without the benefit of prior ground testing
allowing us to learn a vast amount about construction and about how humans and spacecraft systems function
in orbit. This testament to the international achievement exemplifies cultural harmonization through cooperative
teamwork leading to an international partnership that has continued to flourish and foster international
cooperation. While each ISS partner has distinct agency goals for research conducted, a unified goal exists to
extend the knowledge gleaned to benefit all humankind.

Value of the Platform

In the first edition of the book released in 2012, the scientific, technological and educational accomplishments of
ISS research that have an impact on life on Earth were summarized through a compilation of stories. The many
benefits being realized were primarily in the areas of human health, Earth observations and disaster response,
and global education.
This second edition includes updated statistics on the impacts of those benefits as well as new benefits
that have developed since the first publication. In addition, two new sections have been added to the book:
Economic Development of Space and Innovative Technology.
Economic Development of Space highlights case studies from public-private partnerships that are leading to
a new economy in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Businesses provide both transportation to the ISS as well as some
research facilities and services. These relationships promote a paradigm shift of government-funded, contractor-
provided goods and services to commercially-provided goods purchased by government agencies. Other
examples include commercial firms spending their research and development dollars to conduct investigations

x
 Benefits of
Research and
Technology

on ISS and commercial service providers selling services directly to ISS users. This section provides examples of
the use of ISS as a testbed for new business relationships and illustrates successful partnerships.
The second new section, Innovative Technology, merges technology demonstration and physical science
findings that promise to return Earth benefits through continued research. Examples include robotic refueling
concepts for life extensions of costly satellites in geo-synchronous orbit that have applications to the robotics
industry on Earth, flame behavior experiments that reveal insight into how fuel burns in microgravity leading
to the possibility of improving engine efficiency on Earth, and nanostructures and smart fluids examples of
materials improvements that are being developed using data from ISS.
This publication also expands the benefits of research results in human health, environmental change and
disaster response and in education activities developed to capture student imaginations in support of Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, education, internationally. Applications to human health of
the knowledge gained on ISS continue to grow and improve healthcare technologies and our understanding of
human physiology.
The ISS is a stepping stone for future space exploration, as the only orbiting multi-disciplinary laboratory of its
kind returning research results that develop LEO and improve life on our planet. The goal of this publication is to
serve as a source of pride to those who read it and learn of the unique shared laboratory orbiting our planet that
provides ground for critical technologies and ways to keep humans healthy in space.

Benefits for Humanity Themes

xi
Medical team prepares for SYMBIS Surgical System use in the operating room.
Image credit: University of Calgary

xii
Human
Health

The International Space Station is a unique laboratory for performing investigations that affect human
health both in space and on Earth. During its time in orbit, the space station has enabled research that is
providing a better understanding of many aspects of human health including aging, trauma, disease and
environmental impacts. Driven by the need to support astronaut health, several biological and human
physiological investigations have yielded important results that we on Earth can also benefit from. These
results include new ways to mitigate bone loss, insights into bacterial behavior, and innovative wound-
healing techniques. Advances in telemedicine, disease models, psychological stress response systems,
nutrition and cell behavior are just a few more examples of the benefits that have been gained from
applying studies in orbit to human health back on Earth.

1
2
Health Technology
Research on ISS has allowed for innovations in surgical performance through the worlds first robotic
technology capable of performing surgery inside MRI machines. This technology is making difficult
brain tumor surgeries easier and impossible surgeries possible. Soon, medical technology stemming
from space station robotics will enter clinical trials for use in the early diagnosis and treatment of breast
cancer by providing increased access, precision and dexterity resulting in highly accurate and minimally
invasive procedures. Development of an advanced technology solution for pediatric surgery is also in
the design stages. In common laser surgeries to correct eyesight, a new technology developed on ISS
is now used on Earth to track the patients eye and precisely direct a laser scalpel. Thermal regulation
research on ISS has also led to the use of sensor technology for monitoring during surgery.
When medical facilities are not readily available such as in remote and underdeveloped regions of the
world, ultrasound units are used in conjunction with protocols for performing complex procedures
rapidly with remote expert guidance and training. These telemedicine and remote guidance techniques
empower local healthcare providers, provide patients with access to more timely and diagnostic care,
and the healthcare system is made more efficient.
A lightweight, easy-to-use device to measure nitric oxide in air exhaled by astronauts on ISS is used to
study possible airway inflammation before health problems are encountered. This device is now used
at some health centers to monitor levels of asthma control leading to more accurate medication dosing,
reduced attacks, and improved quality of life.
The study of plasmas (charged gases that can permeate many materials and spread evenly and quickly)
reveals that they support the disinfecting of chronic wounds, the neutralization of bacteria, the boosting
of tumor inactivation, and even the jumpstarting plant growth.

Robotic arms lend a healing touch which meant designing a robot that was as dexterous
as the human hand but even more precise and tremor-
The delicate touch that successfully removed an
free. Operating inside the MRI also meant it had to
egg-shaped tumor from Paige Nickasons brain got a
be made entirely from safe, MRI compatible materials
helping hand from a world-renowned arma robotic
(for instance, ceramic motors) so that it would not be
arm, that is. The technology that went into developing
affected by the MRIs magnetic field or, conversely,
neuroArm, the worlds first robot capable of performing
disrupt the MRIs images. The project team developed
surgery inside magnetic resonance machines, was
novel ways to control the robots movements and give
born of the Canadarm (developed in collaboration with
the robots operator a sense of touch via an intuitive,
engineers a MacDonald, Dettwiler, and Associates, Ltd.
haptic hand-controller located at a remote work
[MDA] for the U.S. Space Shuttle Program) as well as
stationessential so that the surgeon can precisely
Canadarm2 and Dextre, the Canadian Space Agencys
control the robot and can feel the tool-tissue interface
family of space robots performing the heavy lifting and
during the surgery.
maintenance aboard the International SpaceStation.
neuroArm began with the search for a solution to a
surgical dilemma: how to make difficult surgeries easier
or impossible surgeries possible. MDA worked with a Robotic specialists and
team led by Dr. Garnette Sutherland at the University
of Calgary to develop a highly precise robotic arm surgeons sought to make
that works in conjunction with the advanced imaging difficult surgeries easier or
capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
systems. Surgeons wanted to be able to perform impossible surgeries possible.
surgeries while a patient was inside an MRI machine,

3
 MDA is also continuing to apply its space technologies
and know-how to medical solutions for life on Earth.
The company has partnered with the Hospital for Sick
Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Ontario, to collaborate
on the design and development of an advanced tech-
nology solution for pediatric surgery. Dubbed KidsArm,
the sophisticated, teleoperated surgical system is
being designed specifically to operate on small children
and babies. KidsArm is intended for use by surgeons
in conjunction with a high-precision, real-time imag-
ing technology to reconnect delicate vessels such as
veins, arteries or intestines.

Where the robot entered my head, says

21-year-old Paige Nickason, the first patient to
have brain surgery performed by a robot, as
she points to an area on her forehead. Now
that neuroArm has removed the tumor from my
brain, it will go on to help many other people like
me around the world.
Image credit: University of Calgary

Since Paige Nickasons surgery in 2008, neuroArm has

Medical team prepares for SYMBIS Surgical
been used in initial clinical experience with 35 patients
System use in the operating room.
who were otherwise inoperable. In 2010, the neuroArm
technology was licensed to IMRIS Inc., a private, Image credit: University of Calgary
publicly traded medical device manufacturer based
in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, for development of
the next-generation platform and for wide distribution
under the name SYMBIS Surgical System. In collaboration with the Centre for Surgical Invention
and Innovation (CSII) in Hamilton, Ontario, MDA is
IMRIS is advancing the design to commercialize mini-
also developing an advanced platform to provide
mally invasive brain tumor resection procedures, which
a more accurate and less invasive identification
allow surgeons to see detailed, 3-D images of the brain
and treatment of breast tumors in the MRI. The
as well as use surgical tools and hand controllers that
image-guided autonomous robot (IGAR) will provide
allow the surgeon to feel tissue and apply pressure
increased access, precision and dexterity, resulting
when he or she operates. SYMBIS has been undergo-
in more accurate and less invasive procedures. IGAR
ing calibration, testing and validation at Dr. Suther-
is currently in the second phase of clinical trials in
lands research facility since March 2015. SYMBIS
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and Quebec City, Quebec,
is expected to be able to perform microsurgery and
Canada.
stereotactic biopsy within the bore of the magnet while
real-time MR images are being acquired. The system Watch these videos to learn more:
is more compact, with improved haptics, safety no-go neuroArm: http://tinyurl.com/neuroArm
zones, motion scaling and tremor filters. SYMBIS
is currently being reviewed by the FDA, and once KidsArm: http://tinyurl.com/KidsArm
approved, the system will be made available commer- IGAR: http://tinyurl.com/CSA-IGAR
cially for other centers worldwide to establish its clinical
efficacy through clinical trials.

4
Robots from space lead to one-stop
breast cancer diagnosis treatment
Technology derived from the highly capable robots
designed for the International Space Station may soon
increase access to life-saving surgical techniques to
fight breast cancer.

ISS technologies enable a

robot to provide increased
access, precision and dexterity,
resulting in highly accurate
and minimally invasive surgical
procedures.
Dr. Mehran Anvari, chief executive officer and
scientific director at the Centre for Surgical
Invention and Innovation, with the Image-Guided
Autonomous Robot (IGAR) manipulator.
A team of collaborative researchers with the
Centre for Surgical Invention and Innovation (CSII) Image credit: The Hamilton Spectator
in Canada is working to enhance the quality and
access to healthcare through the development and
commercialization of innovative medical robotic
technologies. In particular, an advanced platform a much larger problem. The radiologist uses specially
is about to enter clinical trials for use in the early designed software to tag the potential target and tell
diagnosis and treatment of breastcancer. IGAR what path to take. The software then helps the
radiologist to make sure he or she is accurately hitting
The main player besides the medical staff is a robot.
the right area. IGAR has a special tool interface that
But not just any robot. This robots technology was
can be used to define adaptors for any needle-based
designed for use aboard the International Space
biopsy device or a wide range of instruments that
Station by MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.
remove tissue, known in the medical world as needle-
(MDA) for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
based ablation devices.
Researchers created the Image-Guided Autonomous
Anvari explained that the automated robot is capable
Robot (IGAR) from a long line of Canadian heavy
of placing the biopsy and ablation tools within 1
lifters and maintenance performers for the space
mm of the lesion in question with a high degree of
shuttle and space station Canadarm, Canadarm2
targeting accuracy, improving sampling, reducing
and Dextre. In dealing with breast cancer, IGAR is
the pain of the procedure, reducing time in the MRI
expected to provide increased access, precision and
suite and reducing cost as a consequence. He also
dexterity, resulting in highly accurate and minimally
said that using the robot will allow all radiologists to
invasiveprocedures.
perform this procedure equally well, regardless of
Dr. Mehran Anvari, chief executive officer and scientific the number of cases per year and move the site of
director at CSII, said the IGAR platform moves treatment from operation room to radiology suite for
the use of robotics in surgery to a new dimension, a significant number of patients. The radiologist can
allowing the robot to act in an automated fashion after operate in the challenging magnetic environment of
programming by a physician. the MRI, providing access to leading tumor-targeting
IGAR is designed to work in combination with an MRI technology. The robot fits on the patient bed, so it can
scanner, which is highly sensitive to early detection of travel in and out of the MRI opening easily. This in turn
suspicious breast lesions before they possibly turn into simplifies the flow of patients in the department, which

5

IGAR manipulator and full breast intervention
platform mounted on the patient support
structure with a biopsy tool attached.
Image credit: CSii and MDA
Artist rendering of IGAR performing a biopsy.
Image credit: CSii and MDA
can be challenging to many radiologists, optimizing
patient time to diagnose.
Dr. Nathalie Duchesne, co-investigator on the clinical
study and breast radiologist at the Saint-Sacrament
Hospital in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, has been
teaching MRI-guided breast biopsy for years and
will be performing the first of three clinical trials. She
said there are many steps in the procedure that are
operator-dependent, and these steps may prevent
good sampling of the lesions if not done properly.
Duchesne believes IGAR will decrease the time of the
exam, ensure good sampling and increase patients
comfort during the exam. Duchesne and her team
think that IGAR will improve sample collection because
it will be less operator-dependent, and it will be
constant from one doctor to another, from one patient
to the other, and from one lesion to the other.
6
IGAR removes most of the manual aspects of the
procedure and reduces user-dependence and the level
of training required. This allows for a standard process
regardless of experience. An expert will program
remotely once the patient is in the MRI suite. A
physician will then supervise to make sure the patient
is comfortable and there are no complications.
Anvari said this technology lays the foundation for a
family of telerobotic systems, and it has the potential
to change the way people think about performing
these interventions and ensures that specialized,
highly-trained doctors are focusing on the activities to
which their training is best suited. Anvari believes this
technology will improve efficiency in the health care
system by streamlining clinical workflow and allowing
highly skilled radiologists to extend their care to a wider
population through teleoperation.
This robotic technology is not limited only to biopsies.
Duchesne explained that IGAR is paving the way
for the minimally invasive excision and treatment of
small tumors that are often found incidentally during
pre-opMRI.
The trend toward breast preservation has brought on
the importance of lumpectomies. For tumors that may
require this procedure because they are invisible to
ultrasound and X-ray mammography, researchers are
currently developing the ability for IGAR to deploy a
radioactive seedsmaller than a grain of ricenear
the area of interest. During surgery, the seed can be
located with a detector, allowing the doctor to identify
the lesion and remove it with increased accuracy and
patient comfort. It is expected that follow-up surgeries
also will be greatly reduced.
Whether it be capturing a visiting spacecraft or helping
save lives, Canadian-designed robots are lending a
hand. Bringing beneficial technologies from the space
station to the ground will hopefully one day allow us to
make historic strides in cancer treatment.
Watch this video to learn more about IGAR:
http://tinyurl.com/CSA-IGAR
Improved eye surgery with space
hardware
Laser surgery to correct eyesight is common practice,
and technology developed for use in space is now
commonly used on Earth to track the patients eye and
precisely direct the laser scalpel.
When looking at a fixed point while tilting or shaking
ones head, a reflex allows the eyes to automatically

The device developed for ISS
allows the tracking of eye
position without interfering
with a surgeons work during
corrective laser eye surgery.
hold steady and see clearly even while this movement
is taking place. This involves the brain constantly
interpreting information from the inner ear to maintain
balance and stable vision. An essential feature of this
sensory system is the use of gravity as a reference.
The Eye Tracking Device experiment researched
mechanisms involved in this process and how humans
frames of reference are altered in space. The experi-
ment used a specially designed headset fitted with
high-performance, image-processing chips able to
track the eyes without interfering with an astronauts
normal work. The results showed that our balance
and the overall control of eye movements are indeed
affected by weightlessness. These two systems work
closely together under normal gravity conditions but
become somewhat dissociated in weightlessness.
Former ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter undertakes
the Eye Tracking Device experiment on the ISS in
2006.
Image credit: ESA
After a flight, it takes several days to weeks for the
astronauts to return to normal. The findings point to
the entire sensory-motor complex and spatial percep-
tion relying on gravity as a reference for orientation.
In parallel with its use on the space station, the engi-
neers realized the device had potential for applications
on Earth. Tracking the eyes position without interfering
with the surgeons work is essential in laser surgery.
The space technology proved ideal, and the Eye Track-
ing Device equipment is now being used in a large
proportion of corrective laser surgeries throughout
the world. A commercially available version has been
delivered to a large number of research laboratories in
Europe and North America for ground-based studies.
Sensor technologies for high-pressure
jobs and operations
Novel sensor technologies used within the joint
Thermolab experiment (2009-2012) of ESA/DLR have
been used for improving our understanding of thermal
regulation of astronauts in space. These sensor
technologies also hold great potential and benefits for
use within many different critical areas from fire-fighting
to recognizing exhaustion or early overheating. In fact,
the sensor is currently used in hospitals for monitoring
during surgeries and on intensive care units.
Thermal regulation in the body is vital for our well-
being. Our vital organs are kept at a constant
temperature of 37 C (98.6 F) whether it is the middle
of a freezing winter or on a hot sunny beach. Any
disturbance to this stasis can cause symptoms such
as physical and mental fatigue or, in the extreme, fatal
effects on how the body functions under conditions
such as heat stroke and hypothermia.
In weightlessness, the adaptation of the cardiovascular
system, the lack of convection in space and the
shifting of fluids to the upper half of the body could
have a negative influence on thermal regulation.
Sensor technology developed
on ISS is now used to monitor
thermal regulation during
surgeries and in intensive
careunits.
7

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams uses the Portable
Pulmonary Function System whilst on the CEVIS
cycle exercise device during a session of the joint
Thermolab/EKE/VO2Max experiments in August
2012.
Image credit: NASA
The Thermolab experiment has been looking at
changes in thermal regulation and cardiovascular
adaptations in weightlessness by investigating how
the body heats up and cools down during exercise.
The testing of this new type of sensor to record
the core body temperature in orbit could have
novel applications in space and on Earth. This new
sensor was developed for DLR by Charit (Berlin)
and Draegerwerk (Lbeck) since standard ground
measurement in clinics and surgeries use an internal
body probe for taking measurements, which is not
practical in orbit. The sensors measure the skin
temperature and the heat flow in the skin, which
are used to calculate core body temperature using
sophisticatedalgorithms.
Compared to on Earth, core body temperature rises
faster during exercise on the International Space
Station. This is likely caused by fluid shifts and
modified heat flow away from the body. It is also
8
noticeable that the body temperature takes longer to
cool down to core temperature after exercise. The
measurement of the core body temperature together
with cardiovascular measurements taken during
NASAs VO2 Max protocol can be used to evaluate
the subjects state of fatigue, which is very important
during a space mission for optimising mission success.
This makes this non-invasive double sensor a very
useful diagnostic tool for recognising early warning
signs of fatigue during spacewalks in orbit. On Earth,
firefighters, jet pilots, miners, steel workers, soldiers in
combat, divers, mountaineers, polar explorers, marine
fishermen, and all who work in extreme conditions
could benefit from the new measurement technology.
Bringing space station ultrasound to the
ends of the Earth
Fast, efficient and readily available medical attention
is key to survival in a health emergency. When a
person is stricken with injury or illness, getting a quick
and accurate diagnosis through medical imaging
technology can be crucial for ensuring proper
treatment. For people who live in major cities and
towns where fully equipped hospitals are only a quick
ambulance ride away, thats not usually a problem. But
for those without medical facilities within easy reach, it
can mean the difference between life and death.
For astronauts in orbit about 240 miles above Earth
aboard the International Space Station, that problem
was addressed through the Advanced Diagnostic
Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) investigation. Space
station astronauts are trained to use a small ultrasound
unit aboard the station to examine fellow crewmates.
In the event of a health concern, astronauts could use
this facility to diagnose many injuries and illnesses
with the help of doctors on Earth. Launched in 2011,
the ultrasound unit used for ADUM was replaced
Medical care becomes more
accessible in remote regions
by use of small ultrasound
units and tele-medicine, and
remote guidance techniques,
just like those on ISS.
with a smaller and even more sophisticated scanner
dubbed Ultrasound 2, currently in use aboard the
orbitinglaboratory.
Now those same techniques are being adapted and
used for people living in remote, underdeveloped
areas where CT scans, MRIs and even simple X-ray
exams are impossible. In partnership with the World
Interactive Network Focused on Critical Ultrasound
(WINFOCUS), ADUM principal investigator Scott
Dulchavsky, M.D., is taking techniques originally
developed for space station astronauts and adapting
them for use in Earths farthest corners by developing
protocols for performing complex procedures rapidly
with remote expert guidance and training.
WINFOCUS is a global network organization whose
main goal is to use ultrasound as an enabling point-
of-care device in an effort to make medical care
more accessible in remote regions. Using the ADUM
methods, WINFOCUS has trained over 20,000
physicians and physician extenders in 68 countries.
This includes two important holistic healthcare NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn assists Canadian
projects: in remote areas of Nicaragua (from 2011) and Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield with an
in Brazil in a statewide healthcare project in partnership Ultrasound 2 scan in the Columbus Module of the
International Space Station.
with the Secretary of Health of the State of Minas
Gerais (since2012). Image credit: NASA
WINFOCUS has also benefited from the tele-medicine
and remote guidance techniques developed for
use on the space station, and has adapted and
further developed them in order to allow large-scale
integration in healthcare systems on Earth through
low-cost applications. Local healthcare providers are
empowered, more patients can access quality and
timely diagnostic care, and the healthcare system is
made more accessible and efficient.
ADUMs impact is also felt in modern emergency
rooms, proving the effectiveness of ultrasound in
diagnosing conditions previously considered beyond its
technical capabilities, such as a collapsed lung, which
has now become integrated as a standard of care in
medical treatments. In addition, the ADUM protocols
have proven so effective that theyre now part of the
standard medical school curriculum. The American
College of Surgeons, which requires ultrasound World Interactive Network Focused on Critical
training for all surgical interns and residents, is using Ultrasound (WINFOCUS) and Henry Ford
the ADUM program. Innovation Institute members, Dr. Luca Neri and
The ADUM investigation and the WINFOCUS Alberta Spreafico work with Kathleen Garcia from
partnership have brought the promise of space station Wyle Engineering to help train Dr. Chamorro from
research back down to Earth in perhaps the most the rural community of Las Salinas, Nicaragua,
using the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in
direct and immediate way possiblekeeping people
Microgravity and tele-ultrasound applications.
healthy and alive, even in remote regions where care
was previously a limited option. Image credit: WINFOCUS/Missions of Grace

9
Are you asthmatic? Your new helper
comes from space
Kalle, a 10-year-old boy, is already in favor of space
technology. In the future, he could control his asthma
with a small device also used by crew members
aboard the International Space Station. Because of
it, he knows almost everything about nitric oxidean
important gas we all breathe out.
Nitric oxide, or nitrogen monoxide, as it is properly
called, is both a good and bad molecule, found almost
everywhere as an air pollutant that is produced by
vehicle exhaust and industrial processes burning fuel.
Nitric oxide is a contributor to the damage of the ozone
layer and easily converts into nitric acidwhich may
fall as acid rain.
Intriguingly, tiny amounts of nitric oxide are released
locally in inflamed tissue of humans and other
mammals. Tracing it back to its source can reveal
different diseases.
Former European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut
Thomas Reiter undertakes science activities for
the Nitric Oxide Analyzer experiment in 2006.
Image credit: ESA
10
A lightweight, easy-to-use
device monitors levels of
asthma control leading to
more accurate medication
dosing, reduced attacks, and
improved quality of life.
In people with asthma, inflammation in the lung adds
nitric oxide to exhaled air. Measuring the gas can help
to diagnose the disease and may prevent attacks if the
levels of nitric oxide indicate that medication should
beadjusted.
Nitric oxide is also an interesting molecule on the
space station. Dust and small particles floating around
in weightlessness can be inhaled by the astronauts,
possibly triggering inflammation of the airways. It also
plays a role in decompression sickness that may arise
from spacewalks.
The European Space Agency (ESA) uses a lightweight,
easy-to-use, accurate device for measuring nitric oxide
in exhaled air. The aim is to investigate possible airway
inflammation in astronauts and act before it becomes a
health problem.
Following its development by the Swedish company
Aerocrine AB and ESA, the device has been found
beneficial in space exploration and everyday use
onEarth.
NIOX MINO is now used by patients like Kalle at
health centers. They can monitor levels of asthma
control and the efficiency of medicationleading to
more accurate dosing, reduced attacks and improved
quality of life.
Cold plasmas assist in wound healing
A unique form of matter could help disinfect wounds,
neutralize bacteria, help people heal faster, and even
fight cancerand its potential for human health is now
well understood, thanks to research on the International
Space Station. The microgravity environment provides
a powerful method for studying plasmas, one of the
four states of matter along with liquid, solid and gas.
The Plasma Kristall Experiment (PK-3 Plus) lab, a Rus-
sian-German collaboration, provided new insight into
an unusual type of matter known as plasmacrystals.
 Plasma studies reveal
applications to disinfect
chronic wounds, neutralize
bacteria, boost tumor
inactivation, and jumpstart
plant growth.
Because it is a charged gas, plasma can permeate
many materials, spreading evenly and quickly. It can
disinfect surfaces, and has been proven to neutralize
drug-resistant bacteria like methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus within seconds. In more than
3,500 examples in several clinical trials, physicians
found plasmas can disinfect chronic wounds and help
wounds heal faster. Other research has shown that
along with chemotherapy, plasma treatment efficiently
fights cancer; it can boost tumor inactivation by 500
percent, compared with just chemotherapy. Plasmas
can even jumpstart plant growth.
For the researchers involved in PK-3, the technical
challenges of space-based research provided the
Side view of a plasma crystal in the laboratory.
Dust particles are suspended in an argon
plasma above a high-frequency electrode
(bottom). The horizontal field of view is 2 cm.
Image credit: Max Planck Institute for
Extraterrestrial Physics
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, Expedition
30 flight engineer, inspects the Plasma Kristall
Experiment laboratory, enclosed in black housing,
in its new home in the Poisk Mini-Research
Module 2 of the International Space Station.
Image credit: RKK-Energia
knowledge base for the medical spin-offs, according
to Professor Gregor E. Morfill, director at the Max
Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching,
Germany. Without space station research, some
team members would never have been involved in
plasmamedicine.
The PK-3 lab was designed to study complex or
dusty plasmas, which get their name from the pres-
ence of small, solid particles mixed into the plasmas
charged gases. These particles can dramatically
change the behavior of a plasma, and sometimes the
particles even form crystalline structures. Dusty plas-
mas are found near artificial satellites, occur in Earths
upper atmosphere, and can be produced in lab set-
tings. Physicists favor them because they are relatively
easy to control and provide a unique view of physics
at the single-particle level. But they can be difficult to
study on Earth, because the planets gravity affects the
way dust particles settle and how they crystallize. This
isnt the case on the space station, however.
Investigations with PK-3 Plus created dusty plasmas
containing argon or neon gas as well as micron-size
particles. The gas molecules received an electric
charge so they would ionize and form a plasma, and
then particles were injected into it. A laser lit up the
sample while a camera recorded the particles moving
through the plasma and organizing themselves in
11
crystal structures. Basic experiments tested a wide
range of particle sizes and different gas types, and
researchers found a plethora of interesting new
phenomena. In one example, researchers used the
PK-3 Plus high-resolution camera to examine the exact
point at which matter changes its phase from liquid
to solid. Other experiments tested how radio waves
cause particles in a dusty plasma to move.
Beyond basic science, dusty plasmas have several
practical applications in space and on Earth. For
instance, some computer chips are manufactured
using a processing plasma, and removal of
microscopic particles is crucial for preventing chip
contamination. Understanding how gases and
dusty plasmas interact is critical for improving this
technology. A better grasp of this interaction could
also help scientists create powders containing specific
ingredients, for applications like agriculture, hygiene
and medicine. And plasmas hold great promise for
treating sick and injured people on Earth.
Astronauts and cosmonauts operated the PK-3
Plus equipment during 20 separate missions across
a six-year period, each lasting about five days. All
told, collaborators on the PK-3 Plus investigation
and its predecessor, PKE-Nefedov, have published
more than 70 scientific papers and given at least 100
presentations at scientific conferences.
The past PK investigations may be concluded in
space, but plasma medicine research in particular
continues to produce new applicationswhich
will further increase with the PK-4 investigation for
which new hardware was commissioned on ISS in
November2014.

12
Preventing Bone Loss
The common problem of bone loss in the elderly is also observed in astronauts when they are in
space. Ongoing studies on ISS indicate a reduction in bone loss and renal stone risk through use of
a bisphosphonate and exercise to increase bone load and muscle training, and in a well-balanced,
low-sodium diet. In promoting the health of the elderly at risk of osteoporosis, improved scanning
technologies are under development to provide a reference technique to enable the early detection of
osteoporosis and in the development of more effective countermeasures to its effects.

Preventing bone loss in spaceflight with

prophylactic use of bisphosphonate:
Health promotion of the elderly by space
medicine technologies
Bone loss and kidney stones are well-known as
essential problems for astronauts to overcome during
extended stays in space. Crew members engage in
physical exercise for two-and-a-half hours a day, six
times a week (15 hours a week) while in orbit to avoid
these issues. Nevertheless, the risks of these problems
occurring cannot be completely eliminated through
physical exercise alone.

Ongoing studies indicate a

reduction in bone loss and
renal stone risk through
use of a bisphosphonate
and exercise.

JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi performs exercise

Bone plays an important role as a structure that
supports the body and stores calcium. It retains
fracture resistance by remodeling through a balance
of bone resorption and formation. In a microgravity
environment, because of reduced loading stimuli,
there is increased bone resorption and no change
in or possibly decreased bone formation, leading to
bone mass loss at a rate of about 10 times that of
osteoporosis. The proximal femoral bone loses 1.0
to 1.5 percent of its mass per month, or roughly 6
to 10 percent over a six-month stay in space, with
the recovery after returning to Earth taking at least
aboard the International Space Station.
Image credit: JAXA/NASA
three or four years. The calcium balance (the difference
between intake and excretion), which is about zero on
Earth, decreases to about -250 mg/day during flight, a
value that increases the risk of kidney stones.
Bisphosphonate is a therapeutic agent that has been
used to treat osteoporosis patients for more than

13
 Astronauts enjoy meals aboard the International Space Station.
Image credit: JAXA/NASA
a decade, with a proven efficacy to increase bone
mass and decrease the occurrence of bone fracture.
Through 90-day bed rest research on Earth, we
confirmed that this agent has a preventive effect on
the loss of bone mass. Based on these results as well
as studies conducted by others, Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASA decided to
collaborate on a space biomedical experiment to
prevent bone loss during spaceflight. Dr. Adrain
Leblanc, United Space Research Association, and Dr.
Toshio Matsumoto, Tokushima University, are the two
principal investigators of this study.
JAXA and NASA crew members are participating in
this study by taking this agent once a week while in
space. The study is still ongoing; however, early results
suggest that astronauts can significantly reduce the
risk of bone loss and renal stones with the combination
of resistive exercise and an antiresorptive such as a
bisphosphonate.
14
Bone loss is also observed in bedridden older people.
Elderly people lose 1 or 2 percent per year of their
bone mass because of aging and a decline in the
amount of female hormone. Osteoporosis is declared
when a person has a bone mass 30 percent lower
than the average for young adults, which is a condition
affecting 13 million Japanese and one in two women
aged 70 years and older. Every year, 160 thousand
patients undergo operations for femoral neck fractures
in Japan, followed by intense rehabilitation for three
months. Such operations cost 1.5 million yen per
person, and the total annual expense for medical
treatments and care of these bone fractures amounts
to 66.57 billion yen in total national cost.
The three key elements for promoting the health
of elderly people to prevent fractures are nutrition,
exercise and medicine. Meals should be nutritionally
balanced with calcium-rich foods (milk, small fish,
etc.) and vitamin D (fish, mushrooms, etc.). Limited
sunbathing is also important for activation of vitamin
D. Physical exercise to increase bone load and muscle
training should also be integrated into each persons
daily life. Those at high risk for fractures should take
effective medicines to reduce the risk of fractures.
Accordingly, the secrets of the promotion of
astronauts health obtained from space medicine are
expected to be utilized to promote the health of elderly
people and the education of children.
Improved scanning technologies and
insights into osteoporosis
ESAs Early Detection of Osteoporosis in Space (EDOS)
experiment has been testing skeletal adaptation to
long-term space exposure by using 3-D peripheral
quantitative computed tomography (3DpQCT) as a
technique for detection of bone structure. It has been
providing a detailed evaluation of the bone loss and
Early detection of osteoporosis,
and the development of more
effective treatments, link
astronauts to patients on Earth.
Xtreme CT distal radius.
Image credit: SCANCO Medical
of kinetics of recovery after flight. ESA supported
the development of the enhanced 3-D scanner by
the Institute for Biomedical Engineering in Zrich
and Scanco Medical as part of ESAs Microgravity
Applications Programme (MAP). The scanner is
providing high-quality, 3-D images of living bone
structures as part of this ground experiment. This is
backed up by analysis of bone biochemical markers
in bloodsamples.
One important element that has derived from this
research into bone loss in space is the successful
commercialisation of the 3DpQCT scanner, of which
ESA supported the development, for a non-invasive/in
vivo technique for observation of bone structure.
The EDOS project has been assessing the efficiency
of such a technique and will contribute to the devel-
opment of a reference technique to perform an early
detection of osteoporosis on Earth in a unique way.
These improved diagnostics in the early stages of such
a medical condition may prove extremely important in
development of more effective countermeasures to the
effects of osteoporosis. In 2006, according to the Inter-
national Osteoporosis Foundation, 8.9 million fractures
were estimated worldwide. The project will continue
within the EDOS-2 project, which will commence in
collaboration with Russia in spring 2015 in conjunction
with the first one-year mission.
Good diet, proper exercise help protect
astronauts bones
Eating right and exercising hard in space helps protect
International Space Station astronauts bones, a
finding that may help solve one of the key problems
facing future explorers heading beyond low-Earth orbit.
A study published in the September 2012 issue of
the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research looked at
the mineral density of specific bones as well as the
entire skeleton of astronauts who used a new, stronger
weight lifting machine. Of course, weights dont really
After 51 years of human
spaceflight, we have made
significant progress in
protecting bone health
through diet and exercise.
15
weigh anything on the space station, but resistance
machines allow astronauts to get the same kind of
workout. The new Advanced Resistive Exercise Device
(ARED), installed in 2008, doubles the maximum
simulated weight to as much as 600 pounds.
Researchers compared measurements from 2006
until 2008 when astronauts used a less capable
workout machine. They found that astronauts using the
advanced system came home with more lean muscle
and less fat and kept more of their whole body and
regional bone mineral density. Those same astronauts
also consumed sufficient calories and vitamin D, among
other nutrients. These factors are known to support
bone health and likely played a contributingrole.
After 51 years of human spaceflight, these data mark
the first significant progress in protecting bone through
diet and exercise. Since the 1990s, resistance exercise
has been thought to be a key method of protecting
astronauts bones. Normal, healthy bone constantly
breaks down and renews itself, a process called
remodeling. As long as these processes are in balance,
bone mass and density stay the same. Earlier studies of
Russian Mir space station residents found an increased
rate of breakdown but little change in the rate of
regrowth, resulting in an overall loss in bonedensity.
In the new study, astronauts who used the ARED
device still had increased bone breakdown, but their
bone renewal tended to increase, likely resulting in
a better balance in whole bone-mineral density.
NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams, Expedition
22 commander, exercises using the Advanced
Resistive Exercise Device in the Tranquility node of
the International Space Station.
Image credit: NASA
16
Bone density loss in astronauts on long-duration
missions has been a major medical concern. In the
past, astronauts have lost an average of 1 to 2 percent
per month. By comparison, an elderly person loses
about 1 to 2 percent per year.
This study shows that, through proper exercise and
nutrition, crew members on long journeys in space can
return to Earth with much less loss of bone mineral
density. But a key question remains as to whether the
bones are as strong as when the astronaut launched
into space. For these and other reasons, additional
studies to evaluate bone strength before and after flight
are currently under way.
Beyond bone strength, further study is needed to
figure out the best possible combination of exercise
and diet for long-duration crews. One experiment on
the space station right now is looking at how different
ratios of animal protein and potassium in the diet
affect bone health. Another is looking at the benefits
NASA Astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30
commander, exercises using the Advanced
Resistive Exercise Device aboard the International
Space Station.
Image credit: JAXA/NASA
of lowering sodium intake. NASA food scientists have
reformulated more than 80 space foods to reduce the
sodium content.
Information gained through space station studies like
these will be critical in enabling humans to explore
destinations beyond low-Earth orbit.
Add salt? Astronauts bones say
pleasedont
Osteoporosis is a harsh disease that reduces the
quality of life for millions and costs Europe around
25 billion ($31 billion) each year. It typically affects
the elderly, so the rise in life expectancy in developed
countries means the problems inflicted by osteoporosis
areincreasing.
Fortunately, research done in space may change the
game. Astronauts on the International Space Station
experience accelerated osteoporosis because of
weightlessness, but it is carefully controlled, and they
ISS research provides insight
into the benefits of reduced
sodium and increased
bicarbonate consumption for
those prone to osteoporosis.
can regain their lost bone mass in time once they are
back on Earth.
Studying what happens during long spaceflights offers
a good insight into the process of osteoporosislosing
calcium and changing bone structureand helps to
develop methods to combat it.
It has been known since the 1990s that the human
body holds on to sodium, without the corresponding
water retention, during long stays in space. But the

European Space Agence (ESA) astronaut Andr Kuipers (left) and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (right) with
food items on the International Space Station in December 2011. In the SOdium LOad in microgravity experiment,
astronaut subjects undergo two different diet regimes to determine the physiological effects of sodium on
thebody.
Image credit: ESA

17
textbooks said this was not possible. Sodium reten-
tion in space became an important subject to study.
Salt intake was investigated in a series of studies, in
ground-based simulations and in space, and it was
found that not only is sodium retained (probably in the
skin), but it also affects the acid balance of the body
and bone metabolism. So, high salt intake increases
acidity in the body, which can accelerate bone loss.
The European Space Agencys (ESAs) recent SOdium
LOad in microgravity (SOLO) study zoomed in on this
question.
Nine crew members, including ESAs Frank De Winne
and Paolo Nespoli during their long-duration flights
in 2010 and 2011, followed low- and high-salt diets.
The expected results may show that additional
negative effects can be avoided either by reducing
sodium intake or by using a simple alkalizing agent like
bicarbonate to counter the acid imbalance.
European Space Agence (ESA) astronaut Frank
This space research directly benefits De Winne undertakes a body mass measurement,
everybody on Earth who is prone to osteoporosis. an essential element of the SOdium LOad in
microgravity experiment, on the space station.
Image credit: ESA

The SOdium LOad in microgravity experiment

carries out research into salt retention and its
effect on bone metabolism in astronauts, which
can help provide insights into medical conditions
on Earth, such as osteoporosis. 3-D pQCT image of osteoporotic bone.
Image credit: Istockphoto/S.Kaulitzki Image credit: Scanco Medical AG

18
Immune Defenses
Virtually the entire population is infected with one of eight herpes viruses, four of which reactivate and
appear in body fluids in response to the stress of spaceflight. A patent-pending device designed for use in
either a doctors office or on a spacecraft allow for the rapid detection of one of these viruses (VZV), which
can lead to earlier treatment and prevent the onset of painful shingles. Microgravity studies on ISS help
researchers pinpoint genetic triggers for immune responses in T-cells leading to future medical treatments
on Earth for immunosuppression. Determining the changes that occur to the immune system in space is
providing the means to develop targeted countermeasures to adverse effects in space, as well as provid-
ing additional information for targeted treatments on Earth for the development of pharmaceuticals that
can suppress immune response to help manage autoimmune diseases or organtransplants.

Early detection of immune changes

prevents painful shingles in astronauts
and in Earth-bound patients1
The physiological, emotional and psychological stress
associated with spaceflight can result in decreased
immunity that reactivates the virus that causes
shingles, a disease punctuated by painful skin lesions.
NASA has developed a technology that can detect
immune changes early enough to begin treatment
before painful lesions appear in astronauts and people
here on Earth. This early detection and treatment will
reduce the duration of the disease and the incidence of
long-term consequences.

Space research has led to the

rapid detection of Varicella
(chickenpox virus), which
improves treatment of shingles.

Spaceflight alters some elements of the human

immune system: innate immunity, an early line of
defense against infectious agents, and specific compo-
nents of cellular immunity are decreased in astronauts.
Astronauts do not experience increased incidence or
severity of infectious disease during short-duration
spaceflight, but NASA scientists are concerned about
Varicella zoster-infected MeWo cells showing
typical herpes virus-induced, multinucleated giant
cells. Cultures are stained with acrydine orange to
identify RNA (red) in the cytoplasm.
Image credit: NASA

1Adapted from an original article that appeared in NASA Technology Innovation, Vol 15; 3, 2010; NP-2010-06-658-HQ.

19
how the immune system will function over the long
stays in space that may be required for exploration
missions.
To determine specific causes of decreased immunity in
healthy individuals is difficult, but the herpes viruses
have become valuable tools in early detection of
changes in the immune system, based largely on the
astronaut studies. Eight herpes viruses may reside in
the human body, and virtually all of us are infected by
one or more of these viruses. Herpes viruses cause
diseases including common fever blisters (herpes
simplex virus or HSV), infectious mononucleosis
(Epstein-Barr virus or EBV), chickenpox and shingles
(varicella zoster virus or VZV). In immune-suppressed
individuals, herpes viruses may cause several types of
cancer, such as carcinoma, lymphoproliferative disease
and others.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, one million cases of shingles occur yearly
in the U.S., and 100,000 to 200,000 of these cases
develop into a particularly painful and sometimes
debilitating condition known as post-herpetic neuralgia,
which can last for months or years. The other seven
herpes viruses also exist in an inactive state in different
body tissues much like VZV, and similarly they may
also reactivate and cause disease during periods of
decreased immunity.
The most common cause of decreasing immunity
is age, but chronic stress also results in decreased
immunity and increases risk of the secondary disease,
such as VZV-driven shingles. Chemotherapy, organ
transplants and infectious diseases, such as human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), also result in decreased
immunity. Thus, viral reactivation has been identified
as an important indicator of clinically relevant immune
changes. Studies of immune-compromised individuals
indicate that these patients shed EBV in saliva at rates
90-fold higher than found in healthy individuals.
The herpes viruses are already present in astronauts,
as they are in at least 95 percent of the general adult
population worldwide. So measuring the appearance
of herpes viruses in astronaut body fluids is critical. It is
widely believed that various stressors associated with
spaceflight are responsible for the observed decreased
immunity. Researchers at NASAs Johnson Space
Center found that four human herpes viruses reactivate
and appear in body fluids in response to spaceflight.
Due to the reduced cellular immunity, the viruses can
emerge from their latent state into active infectious
agents. The multiplying viruses are released into saliva,
urine or blood and can be detected and quantified
by a method called polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
20
for each specific virus. The finding of VZV in saliva of
astronauts was the first report of VZV being reactivated
and shed in asymptomatic individuals, therefore posing
a risk of disease in uninfected individuals. However, the
PCR assay requires large, complex equipment, which
is not practical for spaceflight.
To overcome this obstacle, NASA developed a rapid
method of detection of VZV in body fluids, and a
patent application is currently pending for it. The new
technology requires a small sample of saliva, which is
mixed with specialized reagents that produce a red
color only when VZV is present. This technology makes
possible early detection, before the appearance of skin
lesions. Early detection allows for early administration
of antiviral therapy and thus limits nerve damage and
prevents overt disease. The device is designed for use
in doctors offices or spacecraft and can be modified
easily for use with other viruses in saliva, urine,
blood and spinal fluid. The sensitivity and specificity
emanates from an antibody-antigen reaction.
In another collaborative study, NASA and University of
Colorado Health Science Center (Denver) researchers
developed a tool to assess stress hormones during
space shuttle missions. Saliva samples are collected
on individual filter paper strips and tested once
back on Earth. The test measures cortisol and
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), two important stress
and immune regulatory hormones. The filter paper
also can be used for proteins and other molecules
of interest in saliva. Booklets of these filter papers
now are being used in university and government
laboratories for remote saliva collection. These studies
demonstrate the potential value of bringing to the
general public a technology that could prevent a
painful and debilitating condition in up to one million
people each year in the U.S. alone.
Station immunology insights for Earth
and space
When people get sick, their immune systems kick into
gear to tell their bodies how to heal. T-cellswhite
blood cells that act like tiny generalsorder an army
of immune cells to organize and attack the enemy.
Microgravity studies aboard the International Space
Station are helping researchers pinpoint what drives
these responses, leading to future medical treatments
on Earth.
Scientists have known since the early days of human
spaceflight that living in microgravity suppresses
the immune system. During the Apollo Program,
for instance, 15 of the 29 astronauts developed an

Microgravity studies on ISS
help researchers pinpoint
genetic triggers for immune
responses in T-cells leading to
future medical treatments.
infection either during or right after flight. Forty years
later, Leukin results show that immunosuppression
begins within the first 60 hours of flight.
Findings from this investigation, led by Millie Hughes-
Fulford, Ph.D., a former NASA astronaut and director
of the Laboratory of Cell Growth at the University of
California, San Francisco, enabled researchers to
pinpoint some specific genetic triggers for the go/no
go of the immune system responses in the T-cells. It
was the first time scientists have been able to prove
that gravity is making a difference in activation of the
T-cell. A healthy body depends on these T-cells giving
orders for the immune system to function properly
as it marches into battle. There are factors that can
hinder victory, however, such as signal interruption,
delayed responses or even outright cell death. A
suppressed immune system is like an army with an
ineffective leader, significantly reducing the chances of
a successful fight.
Expedition 30 Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers,
European Space Agency, works with the
Kubik facility in the Columbus Module of the
International Space Station.
Image credit: NASA
Results revealed that specific genes within T-cells
showed down regulationa decrease in cell
responsewhen exposed to microgravity. This
combined down regulation in the genetics of T-cells
leads to a reduction in the bodys defense against
infections during spaceflight in various ways. For
instance, there is a reduced proinflammatory response,
the cells protective reaction to initiate healing. Cells
also produce fewer cytokines, the proteins responsible
for signaling communications between cells. There is
even a negative impact to a cells ability to multiply,
known as mitogenesis, the chromosomal splitting in a
cell nucleus necessary for cell reproduction.
Examples of immunosuppression on Earth include
the AIDS-related HIV infection, rheumatoid arthritis
and even age-related impacts to the immune system,
which is why the elderly have a difficult time fighting off
infections like pneumonia. Identifying how the immune
system works at the cellular level provides a powerful
tool to develop treatments at the root of the defense
response. This is like a negotiation for peace talks
before conflict breaks out, instead of trying to raise
a white flag in the midst of an already raging battle.
If doctors can isolate and control specific immune
responses, they increase the chance for recovery. With
the removal of gravity as its own variable, the data
gathered from immune studies in space can be used
to help understand some of the immune challenges
seen in these populations on Earth.
Hughes-Fulford launched a follow-on immunology
study aboard the space station, funded by a grant
from the National Institutes of Health and spon-
sored by the Center for Advancement of Science in
Space (http://www.iss-casis.org/). Launching on the
SpaceX-3 commercial resupply mission, the investiga-
tion, called T-Cell Activation in Aging, investigates at
another class of control points in T-cells that trigger
immune response. Finding the genes that tell the cells
to turn on and off is key to advancing medical options
to improve immune system functions. Data analysis is
underway, with the potential to pinpoint new candidate
pharmaceutical targets to treat immunosuppression.
Targeted treatments to improve
immuneresponse
Cell biology experiments have been uncovering
different aspects of altered immune system response
in weightlessness. Determining the changes that
occur to the immune system in space is providing
the means to develop targeted countermeasures
to adverse effects in space, as well as providing
21

ISS research provides
the means to develop
pharmaceuticals and targeted
treatments that can suppress
immune response to help deal
with autoimmune diseases or
organ transplants.
additional information for targeted treatments on Earth.
This could either be for the purpose of developing
pharmaceuticals that can improve treatment
and recovery from certain medical conditions or
alternatively targeted treatments that can suppress
immune response, for example to help deal with
autoimmune diseases or organ transplants.
Research undertaken in the Kubik incubators has
uncovered many altered mechanisms that occur
ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter undertakes in-orbit activities for one of ESAs immunology experiments in 2006.
Image credit: ESA
22
in the immune system in space using biological
samples processed at body temperature at 0 g and
1 g (centrifuge) in orbit. This has included discovering
reduced function in monocyte white blood cells
that is due to a disrupted cytoskeleton. This is an
apparent inhibition of the Protein Kinase C family
of enzymes and a specific immune cell transmitter,
called the Rel/NF-B pathway, which stops working in
weightlessness. All of these are important mechanisms
in immune response.
One of the most recent ESA experiments in this
domain was the ROle of Apoptosis in Lymphocyte
Depression (ROALD) experiment series, which was
undertaken in 2008 with a follow-up experiment in
2011. In the first part of the experiment, researchers
discovered that a particular enzyme called 5-LOX,
which in part regulates the life expectancy of human
cells, became more active in weightlessness and
could play a real role in causing weakened immune
systems. The 5-LOX enzyme can be blocked with
existing drugs, so using these findings to improve
human health could be a close reality. Additional efforts
to understand this treatment pathway, targeting patient
treatment on Earth, is ongoing.
Developing New Therapies
Studying the unique and complicated structures of proteins in the human body leads to the development
of medical treatments. Microgravity allows unique conditions for growth of protein crystals where there
is no gravity or convection to disrupt their growth. The protein expressed in certain muscle fibers of
patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which affects 1 in 3,500 boys, has been successfully
crystallized in space revealing a new inhibitor several hundred times stronger than the prototype inhibitor.
Microencapsulation is the process by which tiny, liquid-filled, biodegradable micro-balloons are
created containing specific combinations of concentrated anti-tumor drugs. The goal is to deliver this
medication using specialized needles to specific treatment sites within a cancer patient. The microgravity
environment, where density differences do not cause layering of the medication, has allowed for the
development of devices on Earth to create these microcapsules and devices that will aid in the drug
delivery using this technology. Progress continues towards clinical studies in cancer patients one day in
the future.
Ongoing research of gravitational unloading supported by dry immersion technology allows for a broad
spectrum of possible clinical applications such as the early diagnosis of slow-developing neurological
disorders, the combating of edema that responds poorly to medication, post-operative rehabilitation,
sports medicine and rehabilitation for premature babies.

High-quality protein crystal growth is space; microgravity means there is no convection

experiment aboard Kibo
There are more than 100,000 proteins in the human
body and as many as 10 billion in nature. Every
structure is different, and each one of them holds
important information related to our health and to the
global environment. Each protein has a unique and
complicated structure, which is closely related to its
function. Therefore, revealing protein structure leads
to an understanding of its function. However, it is
difficult to analyze protein structures here on Earth,
where gravity interferes with optimal growth. The
perfect environment in which to study these structures
Microgravity allows for
optimal growth of the unique
and complicated crystal
structures of proteins leading
to the development of medical
treatments.
to disrupt the liquid solution, nor is there precipitation
to cause heavier molecules to sink. Therefore, protein
molecules form orderly, high-quality crystals that
provide optimal structures for study. Many crystals
of various proteins have been created in the unique
environment of space.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
has conducted nine sessions of protein crystallization
experiments since 2003 in the Zvezda service module
and has developed techniques to produce high-quality
protein crystals in space. Based on these techniques,
JAXA executed six sessions of experiments for the
first series for the High-quality Protein Crystal Growth
experiment (JAXA PCG) in the Japanese Kibo module
on the space station from July 2009 to May 2013.
JAXA is conducting another six sessions in total as
the second series by periodic flight opportunities of six-
month intervals. The first session of the second-series
experiments started in March 2014.
Through collaboration with the Russian Federal Space
Agency (Roscosmos), protein samples are launched
to the space station aboard the Russian Progress or
Soyuz spacecraft. Soon after the docking, the samples
are brought into Kibo to be placed inside the Protein
Crystallization Research Facility (PCRF) where they

23
 Advantage of the Space Experiment.
Because the structure of the disease-causing protein, or the keyhole, is vague when it is obtained on the ground,
the shape of the key, or a medicine candidate compound for treatment cannot be determined. However, it is
possible to find the structure of the disease-causing protein through the space experiments and medicine that fits
the treatment (the key that fits the keyhole) can be developed.
Image credit: JAXA

are kept for a period of one-and-a-half to four months muscle disorder, DMD is the most common form of
at a stable temperature, 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 muscular dystrophy, affecting approximately 1 in 3,500
degrees Celsius). A counter-diffusion method called boys. DMD causes muscular wasting and accelerates
Gel-Tube method is used for crystallization whereby the progression of muscular deterioration. It is an
polyethylene glycol or salt solution is diffused into the obstinate disease for which a fundamental mode of
protein solution separated by a porous membrane treatment has not yet been found. Therefore, H-PGDS-
inside a tube. In this method, concentration of specific inhibitors are considered to be useful drugs for
polyethylene glycol in the protein solution gradually muscular dystrophy.
increases and finally satisfies the condition for protein
crystallization.
One of the major purposes of the protein crystal
growth experiments is the contribution to the
development of medical treatments. The relationship
between a certain protein that causes disease and
its medicine that suppresses the disease can be
compared to the relationship between a keyhole and
its key. If the shape of the keyhole becomes apparent
by examining the structure of the protein, treatment-
oriented medicine with few side effectsthe key to
fit the keyholecan be designed. JAXA is making
positive advancements in research on obstinate
diseases through experiments in space with the hope
of supporting medical care more effectively. High-quality crystals of H-PGDS-Inhibitor
complexes.
An example of a protein that was successfully
The detailed structure of muscular dystrophy
crystallized in space is hematopoietic prostaglandin
related-protein became clear through a space
D synthase (H-PGDS). This protein may hold the key experiment.
to treating disease. A research team at the Osaka
Bioscience Institute (OBI) reported that H-PGDS is Image credit: Osaka Bioscience Institute/
expressed in certain muscle fibers of patients with Tsukuba University/Maruwa Foods and
Biosciences, Inc./JAXA
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). An inherited

24
The OBI research team has successfully determined
the 3-D structure of H-PGDS in a complex with
a prototype H PGDS-specific inhibitor. H-PGDS
has been crystallized several times in microgravity
as part of JAXAs space experiments. Using X-ray
crystallographic analysisusing X-rays to determine
the structureresearchers determined the structure
of the high-quality crystals of H-PGDS-inhibitor
complexes grown in space, and as a result, discovered
a new inhibitor with several hundred times stronger
activity than the prototype inhibitor. This particular
experiment is an example of how understanding a
proteins structure can lead to better drug designs.
Further research is ongoing.
Cancer-targeted treatments from space
station discoveries
Invasive and systemic cancer treatment is a necessary
evil for many people with the devastating diagnosis.
These patients endure therapies with ravaging side
effects, including nausea, immune suppression, hair
loss and even organ failure, in hopes of eradicating
cancerous tissues in the body. If treatments targeted a
patients cancerous tissues, it could provide clinicians
with an alternative to lessen the delivery of toxic levels
of chemotherapy or radiation. Remarkably, research
that began in space may soon result in such options
here on Earth.
Using the distinctive, microgravity environment
aboard the International Space Station, a particular
series of research investigations is making further
advancements in cancer therapy. A process
investigated aboard the space station known as
microencapsulation is able to produce tiny, liquid-filled,
biodegradable micro-balloons containing specific
combinations of concentrated anti-tumor drugs.
Using specialized needles, doctors could deliver these
micro-balloons, or microcapsules, directly to specific
treatment sites within a cancer patient, effectively
revolutionizing cancer treatment.
The microgravity environment
has allowed for the develop-
ment of devices on Earth to
create microcapsules that
could aid in drug delivery.
Dr. Dennis Morrison of NASAs Johnson Space Center
used the microgravity environment aboard the space
station for microencapsulation experiments as a tool
to develop the Earth-based technology, called the
Microencapsulation Electrostatic Processing System-II
(MEPS-II), to make the most effective microcapsules.
The technique for making these microcapsules could
not be done on Earth, because the different densities
of the liquids would layer. But in space, microgravity
brought together two liquids incapable of mixing
on Earth (80 percent water and 20 percent oil) in
such a way that spontaneously caused liquid-filled
microcapsules to form as spherical, tiny, liquid-filled
bubbles surrounded by a thin, semipermeable, outer
membrane.
In space, surface tension shapes liquids into spheres.
Each molecule on a liquids surface is pulled with
equal tension by its neighbors. The closely integrated
molecules form into the smallest possible area, which
is a sphere. In effect, the MEPS-II system allowed a
combination of liquids in a bubble shape because
surface tension forces took over and allowed the fluids
to interface rather than sit atop one another. Studying
the samples upon return to Earth allowed scientists to
understand how to make a device that could create
the same microcapsules on Earth.
The oil contains a visualization marker that is
traceable by ultrasound and CT scans to allow
doctors to follow the microcapsules as they
are site-specifically delivered to the tumor. The
semipermeable outer skin releases the drug
slowly, through its physical ability to be timed
released.
Image credit: NuVue Therapeutics, Inc.
25

Dr. Dennis Morrison poses with the
Microencapsulation Electrostatic Processing
System flight hardware that was used on
the International Space Station to produce
microcapsules for cancer treatment delivery.
Image credit: NASA
The MEPS-II system is now being brought to com-
mercial scale under U.S. Food and Drug Administra-
tion (FDA) Good Manufacturing Practice requirements,
and commercialization of the MEPS technology and
methods to develop new applications for these unique
microcapsules has already begun. The space station
research led to 13 licensed microcapsule-related pat-
ents and two that are pending.
In laboratory testing, MEPS-II microcapsules containing
anticancer drugs were injected directly into a human
prostate and lung tumors in animal models. These
models were then, in follow-on tests, also injected
following the delivery of specific cryo-surgical effects,
similar to a freeze and thaw effect on the tumorous
tissues. Injecting the microcapsules directly into the
tumor demonstrated improved site-specific therapeutic
results and the inhibition of tumor growth. Following
cryo-surgery, the microcapsules demonstrated
improved destruction of the tumor better than freezing
or local chemotherapy alone.
Though Morrisons previous laboratory studies of
microcapsules were primarily focused on prostate and
lung cancer, his studies now target breast cancer for
the FDA approval process through development with
NuVue Therapeutics, Inc. Though it will take a few
years to get approval to use the microcapsules as a
treatment option filled with anti-tumor drug therapies,
several devices that will aid in drug delivery using this
technology are planned for pre-clinical study as early
as 2015.
26
After achieving full FDA approval, planned clinical trials
will involve injecting the microcapsules with the anti-
tumor drugs directly into tumor sites in humans at both
MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the Mayo
Cancer Center in Scottsdale, Ariz. Given the success
in animal models in laboratory studies with human
prostate and lung tumor treatment, Morrison has high
hopes in the near future of being able to begin use of
the microcapsule treatment in breast cancer.
These kinds of technologies are enabled by the
availability of the microgravity environment aboard
the space station. Just as microgravity can aid in the
discovery of new technologies for cancer treatment,
these microcapsules may one day aid in the recovery
of breast and other specific deep-tissue cancers.
Using weightlessness to treat
multipleailments
The technology of dry immersion was developed as an
Earth-based model to study the effect of micrograv-
ity factors on the human body. Using this model, the
effectiveness of measures developed to prevent the
negative impact of spaceflight factors on people has
been and continues to be evaluated. The countermea-
sures currently used on the International Space Station
were tested in experiments involving dry immersion.
Ongoing research on dry
immersion technology allows
for a broad spectrum of
possible clinical applications.
Experts at the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP)
developed the automated immersion system to create
water hypodynamia (utility model patent #44505
Immersion bath and invention patent #2441713
Polymer covering and device for dry immersion).
The concept of the technology involves submerging
a person in an immersion bath filled with water. The
immersion system is an ergonomically designed
tub with a built-in elevation mechanism, filtration,
and temperature control systems. The subject is
kept separate from the water by a thin water-proof
cloth with an area significantly exceeding the area of
the waters surface. In this way, conditions closely
simulating the lack of gravity are recreated. As a
result, changes typical of acute gravitational unloading
are reproduced in thebody.
The potential use of the system for health purposes
relates to the specific physiological changes in the
body caused by gravitational unloading. In particular,
acute disruptions occur in the mechanisms of
sensory interaction. These disruptions counteract
compensatory processes in the central nervous
system resulting in discovery of latent neurological
disruptions. Treatment with dry immersion is also
accompanied by a number of physiological shifts such
as the redistribution of fluids in the body, which have
positive effects in certain cardiovascular conditions
such as edema.
The drug-free method of dry immersion offers the
user: relaxation of muscles; increase in immunity;
elimination of edema; and, normalization of blood Dry Immersion Complex (prototype).
pressure, thus making it possible to use the immersion
Image credit: Institute of Biomedical Problems,
system for the early diagnosis of slow-developing Russia
neurological disorders and to combat massive
edema that responds poorly to pharmacological
remedies. Its use may also be an effective
mechanism in rehabilitative treatment in areas such as
psychoneurology, traumatology, orthopedics (post-
operative rehabilitation), sports medicine, clinical
neurophysiology, and applied psycho-physiology.
The use of the immersion system is also a particularly
valuable rehabilitation measure for premature babies
who are exposed to the effects of gravity following
the intrauterine environment. Perinatal damage
to the central nervous system (hyperexcitability;
depressive, muscle hypertonia, and cephalohematoma
syndromes) is an opportunity for the use of the dry
immersion method. Additional uses for dry immersion
include treatment of immune disorders, hormone
imbalances, muscle disease, wound healing, and
cardiovascularhealth.
New prototype of the automated immersion
The spectrum of possible applications of this system system used in clinics.
that simulates spaceflight conditions, such as those Image credit: Aerospace Medical Center and
experienced by the International Space Station, is fairly Technology
broad and will expand with further study.

27
28
Food and the Environment
Microbiology is a vitally important area, not only within human spaceflight but also for humans on Earth.
Microorganisms such as bacteria, archea, fungi and algae have a detrimental or a beneficial impact on
our daily lives. This research has far-reaching effects feeding into many different areas of biotechnology
as microorganisms have a role in food spoilage, waste and sewage treatment and processing, nutrient
cycling and exchange, pollution control, and in increased greenhouse gases.
Studying the effects of gravity on plants led to the development of an ethylene scrubber. This technology
is now used as an air purifier that destroys airborne bacteria, mold, fungi, viruses, and odors. The
scrubber is used for food preservation in major supermarkets, high-end refrigerator technology, and
in trucks that carry groceries to remote regions of countries such as India, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
to name a few. Even the health care industry benefits from the use of these units in clinics, operating
rooms, neonatal wards and waiting rooms making these locations safer for their inhabitants.
Plant research in a space greenhouse has allowed the study of root zone substrates in space allowing
scientists to improve predictions of how artificial soils will behave when irrigated both in space and on
Earth in experimental forests.

Microbiology applications from fungal They can spoil food but assist in waste and sewage
research in space treatment and processing as well as nutrient cycling
and exchange.
Microbiology is a vitally important area, not only within
human spaceflight but also for humans on Earth. With Assist in pollution control but also increase green-
this microscopic world encompassing microorganisms house gases.
such as bacteria, archea, fungi and algae that can
have both a detrimental or beneficial impact on our
daily lives, this research has far-reaching effects
feeding into many different areas of biotechnology.
Microorganisms have both negative and beneficial
effects, and different species of fungi are inherent in
many of these processes.

Microbiology research on
ISS provides insight into how
microorganisms can spoil
food, assist in waste and
sewage treatment, and in Flight day 5 sample from the Coloured Fungi in
Space experiment.
pollution control.
Image credit: CFS-A science team

29
 Cause disease but can be used in the manufacture
of antibiotics, detergents and pesticides.
Cause deterioration in manufactured materials and
buildings but can also be used in the recover of
metals in the mining sector as well as the produc-
tion of biofuels and fertilizers.
Insights into one species may provide insights into
others and hence feed into different applications.
The Growth and Survival of Coloured Fungi in Space-A
(CFS-A) experiment determined the changes that
weightlessness and cosmic radiation have on the
growth and survival of various coloured fungi species.
Understanding any changes in the physiology and
survivability of different microorganisms in space
can help determine the effect that this may have on
spacecraft, associated systems and supplies, as well
as the astronauts inhabiting them. This could provide
Fungi on the ISS, grows on a panel of the Russian
Zarya Module where exercise clothes were hung
to dry.
Image credit: NASA
30
important insights for developing countermeasures
to possibly deleterious microorganisms, help to draw
conclusions on how the space environment may
affect similar organisms, and could also feed into
biotechnology applications in the future.
The main fungal species studied in the CFS-A
experiment was Ulocladium chartarum, which is well
known to be involved in biodeterioration of organic and
inorganic materials and suspected to be a possible
contaminant in spacecraft. Other species studied
were Aspergillus niger (which causes a disease
called black mold on certain fruits and vegetables,
and commercially accounts for 99 percent of global
commercial citric acid production); Cladosporium
herbarum (frequently the most prominent mold spore in
air and found on dead herbaceous and woody plants,
textiles, rubber, paper, and foodstuffs of all kinds); and
Basipetospora halophile (which survives in high-saline
environments).
The CFS-A experiment clearly indicated that
Ulocladium chartarum is able to grow under spaceflight
conditions, elaborating a new strategy to survive for a
short time by developing submerged mycelium and for
a long time by developing sporulating microcolonies
on the surface of the nutrient source on which it was
cultured. In spacecraft, U. chartarum and other fungal
species could find a favorable environment to grow
invasively unnoticed in the depth of surfaces under the
right conditions posing a risk factor for biodegradation
of structural components, as well as a direct threat
for crew health. This will be especially important for
future long-duration missions outside of low-Earth orbit
where astronauts will have to be more self-sufficient for
maintaining spacecraft and systems, and some food
supplies would need to be preserved for longer than
potentially 18 months. However, on the same line, in
the future this kind of research could potentially feed
into strategies for waste recycling on spacecraft and
the development of biological life support systems. As
we gain knowledge of the life histories of key species
of fungi in the space environment, that knowledge
can be readily applied to better manage these species
onEarth.
Plant growth on ISS has global impacts
on Earth
Understanding the effects of gravity on plant life is
essential in preparation for human exploration beyond
low-Earth orbit. The ability to produce high-energy,
low-mass food sources during spaceflight will enable
the maintenance of crew health during long-duration
missions while having a reduced impact on resources
necessary for long-distance travel.
The Advanced AstrocultureTM (ADVASC) investigation,
led by Weijia Zhou, Ph.D., of the Wisconsin Center
for Space Automation and Robotics, University
of Wisconsin-Madison, explored the benefits of
using microgravity to create custom crops that can
A new technology for an
ethylene scrubber is used for
food preservation in major
supermarkets and in trucks
that carry groceries to remote
regions of the world.
Astronaut Peggy Whitson with the ADVASC soybean plant growth experiment during Expedition 5.
Image credit: NASA
withstand the inhospitable climates of space, resist
pestilence, and need less volume to grow. ADVASC
was performed over several International Space
Station (ISS) expeditions, growing two generations
of Arabidopsis thaliana (rapidly growing, flowering
plant in the mustard family that has been grown on
many space missions), and soybean plants, from
seed to seed in space using the ADVASC payload, an
autonomously operated plant growth unit. The ability
to grow plants from seeds through several generations
has proven to be challenging in space and is critical in
developing hardware and operational concepts to take
human explorers farther beyond low-Earth orbit.
While serving as a unique plant-growth chamber, the
ADVASC hardware design has also contributed to
national security, cancer-fighting pharmaceuticals and
educational tools for students. ADVASCs novel air
scrubber was designed to remove ethylene from the
chamber atmosphere, thus allowing longevity of the
produce. Ethylene is a naturally occurring, odorless,
colorless gas given off by plants that hastens the
31
ripening of fruits and the aging of flowers, encouraging
decay. Comprised of carbon and hydrogen in closed
growing environments, like on a spacecraft or in a
terrestrial greenhouse, ethylene builds up quickly and
plants mature too fast. Removing ethylene, therefore,
is important to preserving crops not just in space,
but also on Earth, where grocers and florists have an
interest in reducing the gas that ultimately shortens the
shelf life of their products.
The ethylene-reduction device, also called the ethylene
scrubber, draws air through tubes coated in thin
layers of titanium dioxide. The insides of the tubes are
exposed to ultraviolet light, which creates a simple,
chemical reaction, converting the ethylene into trace
amounts of water and carbon dioxide, both of which
are actually good for plants.
KES Science & Technology Inc., a Kennesaw, Georgia-
based company specializing in sustaining perishable
foods, licensed the ethylene-scrubbing technology
from the University of Wisconsin. KES partnered with
Akida Holdings, of Jacksonville, Florida, which now
markets the NASA-developed technology as AiroCide.
According to the company, it is the only air purifier that
completely destroys airborne bacteria, mold, fungi,
mycotoxins, viruses, volatile organic compounds (like
ethylene), and odors. Whats more, the device has no
filters that need changing and produces no harmful
byproducts, such as the ozone created by some
filtration systems.
Food preservation customers include supermarkets
like Whole Foods; produce distribution facilities like
those operated by Del Monte; food processing plants;
wineries; distilleries; restaurants; and large floral shops.
Reeves Floral, an AiroCide user, reported 92-percent
reductions in airborne mold and a 58-percent drop
in airborne bacteria levels in just the first 24 hours it
had the units operating in its floral storage warehouse.
The AiroCide units can be used in walk-in coolers to
preserve freshness of produce during storage and
transport, to increase safety in food preparation areas,
to kill bacterial contaminants in flowers (botrytis), and
to protect against spoilage and contaminants.
AiroCide technology is now incorporated into a line of
refrigerators, high-end consumer models that preserve
freshness and reduce food waste. The refrigerator
recycles the air every 20 minutes, reducing odors,
viruses, and bacteria, as well as eliminating the
presence of veggie-wilting ethylene.
AiroCide units have been deployed to India and
the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the
countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi
Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In these areas,
32
where refrigerated trucks carry groceries from rural
farmland to towns miles away, the AiroCide unit
preserves freshness and prevents food spoilage in
harshenvironments.
In the health care arena, AiroCide units have been
incorporated into doctors clinics, operating rooms,
neonatal wards, and in waiting areas, an often over-
looked location rife with germs and bacteria like respi-
ratory influenza or mycobacterium tuberculosis and
frequented by people with compromised immune sys-
tems. Operating rooms with AiroCide units mounted in
the ceiling become safer for all inhabitants, as harm-
ful bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, and
the fungi Penicillium and Aspergillus are removed from
the air. In addition to eliminating virtually all known
airborne germs and diseases, the technology reduces
the burden on high-efficiency particulate air filters and
laminar flow environments. These same air-cleaning
properties have also been applied to neonatal wards.
The AiroCide units have been adapted for use in
everyday living environments. In hotels, for example,
the units eliminate mold, mildew, germs and unwanted
odors. These same features are also useful in offices,
where illnesses caused by airborne organisms can
lower productivity. In homes, the AiroCide units help
eliminate the growth of mold and fungi as well as
eliminate allergens like pet dander and dust mites.
Experiments with higher plants on the
Russian Segment of the International
Space Station
Some of the most important tasks in space biology
include the creation of reliable and effectively
functioning life support systems, and providing
sustaining food sources for crew members. For long-
term interplanetary spaceflights and planetary bases,
the human life support system and food production
Space station studies improved
predictions of how artificial
soils will behave when irrigated
both in space and on Earth in
experimental forests.
has to be based on regenerating the living environment
from life support products through physical/chemical
and biological processes. Greenhouses will most likely
be designed for the cultivation of vegetables, primarily
greens and herbs. However, in order to implement
these plans, plants must grow, develop, and reproduce
in spaceflight with cultivation productivity similar to
Earth. To address this need, a series of 17 Rasteniya
experiments were conducted from 2002-2011 using
the Lada greenhouse on the Russian segment of the
International Space Station.
Multigenerational studies were carried out to culture
genetically tagged dwarf pea plants in the Lada space
greenhouse. For the first time in space research, four
consecutive generations of genetically tagged pea line
seeds were obtained in spaceflight. The growth and
development characteristics of various lines of pea
plants did not change in a significant way compared
to ground control samples. Using molecular methods
Cosmonaut Valery G. Korzun, Expedition Five mission commander, studies mizuna lettuce as part of the Rastenyia-2
investigation.
Image credit: NASA
with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)
primers with 10 markers and analyzing chromosomal
aberrations, it was demonstrated that plants having
undergone four complete development cycles in
spaceflight did not manifest genetic polymorphism.
That makes it possible to assert that there is no impact
of spaceflight factors on the genetic apparatus of
plants in the first to the fourth space generations.
To prepare a chain of higher plants for future life
support systems of space crews, experiments were
carried out to cultivate the leafy vegetable plant mizuna
(Brassica rapa var. nipposinica). Results showed
that the significant increase in the parameter of total
contamination of International Space Station (ISS) air
did not result in a decrease in productivity of the leafy
vegetable plant; however, the plants responded with a
change in gene expression.
A space experiment to grow super dwarf wheat
during a complete vegetation cycle showed that the
33
rate of plant development over 90 days did not differ
from data from ground control experiments. When
the space-produced seeds were planted on the
ground, plants that grew were no different from the
controlsample.
The work done has great applied value because in
the process of creating and operating the space
greenhouse, cutting-edge equipment and software
were developed, making it possible to grow plants
automatically. This dual-purpose technology can
also improve plant growth on Earth. The psycho-
physiological aspect of the interaction between
humans and plants in a habitable pressurized volume
was studied, and data were obtained on the safety
of cultivating plant biomass on a space station for
human consumption. These data are of great interest
for design work to create productive greenhouses that
are part of promising life support systems of any living
complexes that are cut off from the Earths biosphere.
Scientists have also studied the interaction of plants
with the soil. The processes by which plant roots
receive water, gases and nutrients are different in
space than they are on Earth. On Earth, gravity and
surface tension combine to move water through soil,
allowing air to move through the pore spaces in the
soil to the plants roots. In space, soil is replaced with
an artificial growth medium, made up of small grains
Cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, Expedition 22 Flight
Engineer, holds Mizun lettuce plants from the BIO-5
Rasteniya-2 (Plants-2) experiment in the Service
Module during Expedition 20.
Image credit: NASA
34
or other porous material. In microgravity, liquid moves
through capillary action, where the liquid is attracted
to the adjacent surface of a solid material. The surface
tension of the liquid pulls additional liquid along as
each new surface is wetted. If the plant is over-watered
and all of the surface area and open spaces within the
growth medium are filled with liquid, then gas (air) cant
move, and the plants roots are deprived of air and
oxygen. When properly wetted, as water is used by
the roots, surface tension pulls additional liquid along
without filling the pore spaces, and therefore without
preventing oxygen from diffusing through the open
spaces to the roots. Studies in the Lada greenhouse
have addressed the importance of root zone media
in these extreme artificial conditions. Scientists have
studied a variety of root zone substratesgrowth
media, material particle sizes, and packing structure
and learned which combinations work best.
Knowledge of root zone substrates in space has
allowed scientists to improve their predictions of how
artificial soils will behave when theyre irrigatedin
space and on Earthand to design specific plant
growth media and artificial soils for greenhouses and
other large scale plant production facilities on Earth.
Models, describing the behavior of water and oxygen
learned from these space experiments, have been
published in scientific journals, allowing commercial
users to access the information without divulging their
propriety growth media mixtures. Sensor technology
developed to monitor the Lada root zone is being
applied to monitor soil properties in a state-of-the-art
measurement facility at an experimental forest.
Editors note: Colleagues from many Russian and
non-Russian organizations participated in carrying
out work according to the Rasteniya program in the
Lada greenhouse on the ISS RS. The contributions
of G. E. Bingham (Utah State University, Space
Dynamics Laboratory, Logan, Utah, USA), S.
A. Gostimsky (M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State
University), and M. Sugimoto (Okayama University,
Institute of Bioresources, Okayama, Japan) should be
especiallynoted.
Heart Health and Biorhythms
Studying spaceflight effects on the cardiovascular system has led to the creation of unique instruments
that can be used on Earth for the detection of the earliest deviations in health status. These tech-
nologies are now used to examine motor vehicle drivers and civil aviation pilots to evaluate risks and
prevent accidents. Twenty-four-hour ECGs of astronauts were also analyzed to understand the space
environments effect on biological rhythm and cardiac autonomic nervous activity leading to recom-
mendations for maintaining a well-balanced biological rhythm on Earth. One of these recommenda-
tions is maintenance of a regular sleep schedule. In studying the sleep patterns of cosmonauts using
a miniature device that fits in their pocket, information is recorded and sent to Earth for analysis of
sleep quality. An Earth model of this device is placed under the pillow or mattress to record movements
related to heart and breathing.

Space cardiology for the benefit of Ecosan-2007 is a multi-purpose instrument for early
health care detection of the earliest deviations in health status. It
is based on the principle of prenosological diagnosis,
The cardiovascular system plays an exceptionally
which arose in space medicine, referring to the study
important role in cosmonauts physical adaptation to
of changes in the body that precede their develop-
long-term weightlessness. Since 2002, the scientific
ment. This device is now used to examine drivers of
experiment Puls and from 2007 through 2012, the
motor vehicles, civil aviation pilots, and test subjects in
experiment Pneumocard were performed regularly
experiments on Earth involving various stress factors.
on the International Space Station to study spaceflight
effects on the cardiovascular system. These studies A study that used the Ecosan-2007 to detect early
have provided a tremendous amount of informa- health issues among 105 bus drivers showed
tion about space cardiology that has resulted in new that more than 30 percent of the drivers were in
technologies successfully used to evaluate the bodys prenosological and premorbid states, which sharply
functional reserves, to determine the degree of stress increases the risk of motor vehicle accidents.
on regulatory systems and to assess the risk of devel-
opment of disease. These new technologies served as
the basis both for further development of cardiological
systems on the International Space Station and for
the creation of unique sets of instruments that can
be used in health care practice, including the Eco-
san-2007 hardware-software complex.

Instruments used on Earth

for the early detection of
deviations in health status
are now used to examine
motor vehicle drivers and civil Andre Borisenko performs the Pneumocard
experiment aboard the International Space Station.
aviationpilots. Image credit: Roscosmos

35
 Biological rhythms in space and on Earth
Humans wake up in the morning and fall asleep at
night. The biological clock generates this regular,
daily rhythm. Similar to the clock in the brain, there is
a peripheral clock in every single cell in our bodies.
The clock in the brain is called the master clock,
and the clock in cells is referred to as the peripheral
clock. The master clock and peripheral clocks
communicate with one another through the autonomic,
especially the sympathetic, nervous system to
accurately regulate the biological rhythm.
It is not uncommon to perform docking and
Research using the Ecosan-2007 complex. destination landings in the late night or early morning
Image credit: Institute of Biomedical Problems
for maximizing efficiency during rocket launching
of the Russian Academy of Sciences or returning to Earth. In such cases, the astronauts
experience an effect much like traveling through time
zones during international travel. Furthermore, we also
have broad biological spectra (i.e., 90-min, 8-hour
During examinations of civil aviation pilots the use of
and 7-day, etc.) and have developed chronomics to
Ecosan-2007 showed that long-term, work-related
analyze them. Chronomics is the term that defines a
chronic stress increases the risk development of
new scientific field such as genomics and proteomics
pathologies, which should be considered during the
and can reveal hidden signals in the original time
expert evaluation of fitness for flight, especially for
people at the age more than 50.
The Ecosan-2007 complex was also used in a 520-
day experiment on Earth simulating a flight to Mars.
During the experiment, monthly examinations of the ISS research has led to
Martian crew located in a pressurized mockup of
an interplanetary spacecraft and at the same time of
recommendations for
volunteer test subjects in control groups in 12 different maintaining a well-balanced,
regions of the world were performed. Long-term
telemedicine of medical-environmental research using
biological rhythm on Earth.
the Ecosan-2007 complex will be the prototype of a
future system of individual prenosological monitoring,
which will be based on space cardiology methods.
The results of the studies on Earth performed using t
he Ecosan-2007 complex served as a tool for Earth-
based clinical use and as the basis for the further
development of space cardiology technologies. Two
new instruments have been developed for the space
station and have both been in use since 2014. One of
them, Cardiovektor, will be the advanced development
of Pneumocard, which will make it possible to perform
precise measurements of energy of heart muscle and
to evaluate the activity of the right and left chambers
of the heart. The second instrument, Cosmocard,
will develop the methodology that was used in the
Ecosan-2007 for electrocardiogram dispersion
mapping. This will allow us to use the non-invasive
study of the energy-metabolic characteristics of the Space sleep Crew members usually sleep in
cardiac muscle at various stages of spaceflight. In the sleeping bags.
future, these instruments may also be successfully Image credit: JAXA/NASA
used in health care practice.

36
 they were able to maintain a well-regulated biological
rhythm because of their regular, daily schedule aboard
the ISS.
We are exposed to environments that easily disturb
our biological rhythm. Progress in communications,
i.e., internet and smartphones, and transportation, i.e.,
airplanes, have made borders of countries and time
zones irrelevant. It has been reported that disturbance
in biological rhythm may cause diseases such as high
blood pressure, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, diabe-
tes, osteoporosis, insomnia, depression, premature
Sunrise from the International Space Station. aging, cancer, etc.
Since the space station orbits the Earth once Three factors for maintaining a well-balanced biological
every 90 minutes, it sees a sunrise or a sunset rhythm are morning light, melatonin secreted at
every 45 minutes. night, and a balanced diet (particularly breakfast).
Image credit: NASA Most important is the exposure to bright light during
daytime and complete darkness during sleep at night.
The astronauts daily regimen in maintaining a well-
balanced biological rhythm during their long-term
series data, which are not decipherable without
spaceflight serves as a guideline for us living on Earth.
use of chronomics. Chronomes are time structures
In particular, we recommend the following six activities
consisting of (1) multi-frequency rhythms, (2) elements
for maintaining a well-balanced biological rhythm: 1)
of chaos, (3) trends in chaotic and rhythmic endpoints,
keep a regular daily schedule; 2) keep regular sleep
and (4) noise (or as yet unresolved variables).
and meal schedules; 3) drink coffee or green tea in the
Chronomics can solve the complexity of organisms
morning; 4) maintain appropriate temperatures during
interactions with their environment, near and far. The
day and night; 5) engage in activities that support the
International Space Station (ISS) circles around the
peripheral clock such as exercise and getting dressed
Earth once every 90 minutes, and astronauts aboard
after waking; and 6) occasionally note the time.
see sunrise and sunset every 45 minutes. The effects
of high-intensity light deficiency on human health in
the unique environment created by microgravity and
Innovative space-based device promotes
45-minute day and night cycles is not well understood.
restful sleep on Earth
There may be an increased risk for biological rhythm
There has been a growing interest in the study of
deregulation and insomnia when living in a space
night-time sleep in weightlessness since the first steps
environment with microgravity and is deficient in high
of space exploration. Indeed, normal, good-quality
intensity light. We analyzed 24-hour ECG recordings of
sleep is the basis for maintaining the necessary, high
long-term-spaceflight astronauts with the aim to clarify
psychological functioning and good physical condition
the space environments effect on biological rhythm
of cosmonauts. However, the clinical method used to
and cardiac autonomic nervous activity. A small, light-
study sleep (polysomnography) requires the use of a
weight Holter monitor was used to record 24-hour
large number of sensors, which disturbs normal sleep,
ECGs, preflight (once), inflight (three times), and
requires time, and is too complex for spaceflight.
postflight (once). The 24-hour ECG data recorded in
orbit was downlinked from Kibo Japanese Experiment
Module to Tsukuba Space Center for time domain
and frequency domain analysis. As a result, we found
that although biological rhythms of the astronauts A miniature device can be
were immediately disturbed after arrival on the ISS, placed under a pillow or a
they recovered in five months after the beginning of
long-term stay, and their biological rhythms became
mattress to record movements
well-regulated when compared to the preflight and related to the heart and to
postflight recordings. We speculated that although the
astronauts experienced a time-difference effect during
breathing.
their long-term spaceflight after spacecraft docking,

37

Crew member sets up the Sonocard device
before sleep in spaceflight.
Image credit: Roscosmos
Thus, nowadays the data on the sleep quality of
cosmonauts in long-term weightlessness have been
extremely limited.
In 2007, a new device, Sonocard, arrived on the
Russian segment of the International Space Station
(ISS), making it possible to study sleep with a miniature
device in the size of a deck of cards. The device is
placed on the left in the top pocket of the cosmonauts
T-shirt before sleep, and its sensor elicits micro-
fluctuations of the chest wall that are related to heart
function. Upon wake-up, the information recorded
during the night is sent to Earth for analysis.
Sonocard provides a contactless recording of physi-
ological signals, and its use does not require attaching
electrodes or special sensors to the body. Instead, it
acquires its data by recording all the vibrations that
are elicited by the sensor/accelerometer. Pulse rate,
breathing rate, movement activity, and heart rhythm
variability are obtained. This method is successfully
used in various fields of medicine and physiology to
assess the state of the basic body functions. Space
medicine was one of its first fields of application, and
to date, a large amount of experience has been accu-
mulated on its use to assess the functional condition
of cosmonauts during spaceflight. When analyzing the
data obtained during sleep, the changes in the activity
of the sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation
chains in first hours after falling asleep and last hours
before waking up are determined. This makes it pos-
sible to assess to what extent the body was able to
rest during sleep and how much it replenished the
functional reserves that were spent the day before.
38
Scientific experiments using the Sonocard device
are conducted on the space station on all Russian
cosmonauts every two weeks. Over five years, a large
amount of information on sleep in weightlessness
has been gathered. For the first time, it is possible to
discuss results that are not impacted by factors of
workload and psycho-emotional stress that are always
present during the day while carrying out science
experiments under the normal flight program. A flight
index sleep quality showed that the quality of sleep on
average for the entire flight for all 22 participants in the
experiment is 77.4 percent.
The Sonocard contactless method of sleep study that
was created for use on the space station has been
successfully used on Earth. The Earth model used a
sensor that was designed in the form of a plate to be
placed under the pillow or mattress to record a per-
sons body movements related to heart and breathing
rate. The signals recorded during the night are down-
loaded to a computer and analyzed according to the
methods already proven in space research.
The new hardware/software system called Cardioson-3
was tested in a series of experiments on Earth,
including a long-term, 520-day experiment simulating
a flight to Mars. Unique research experience of the
cosmonauts functional state during sleep can have
further development in two directions: creation of new,
more effective systems of evaluating sleep in space for
the simultaneous medical control of all crew members
and development of similar devices for the control of
the quality of sleep in the interests of public health
carepractice.
Cardioson-3 systemEarth analog of the
Sonocard space device.
Image credit: Institute of Biomedical Problems of
the Russian Academy of Sciences
Improving Balance and Movement
A new technology developed to correct motor disturbances in weightlessness has been used to treat
patients with cerebral palsy, stroke, spinal cord injuries, balance problems and motor decline due to
aging. Assessment of eye movement reactions of cosmonauts preflight and postflight has led to faster
and less expensive diagnoses and treatment of patients suffering from vertigo, dizziness and equilibrium
disturbances. A patented computerized, non-pharmacological method of preventing and correcting
unfavorable perception and sensorimotor reactions is used to train patients and astronauts to acquire
the ability to suppress vertigo, dizziness and equilibrium disturbances.
A system of hardware and software that collects information on body movements of astronauts on ISS
has led to motor imagery protocols used in the research environment of a hospital in Rome in treatment
of adult stroke patients and children with cerebral palsy. Other body movement research on ISS lead to
the development of a suit for astronauts to compensate for the lack of daily loading from gravity. The
clinical version of this suit is used for the comprehensive and drug-free treatment of cerebral palsy in
children in Russia. Another clinical variation of this suit is used on patients who have suffered from stroke
or brain trauma.

New technology simulates microgravity

and improves balance on Earth
Spaceflight opportunities, such as that of the Interna-
tional Space Station (ISS), facilitated the development
of Earth-based models of weightlessness and opened
the door to studying the effects of the elimination of
gravity. Over the 10 years since the ISS came into exis-
tence, a large amount of data, information and facts
have been compiled by the Russian Institute of Bio-
medical Problems (IBMP) that have made it possible to
switch from describing occurrences and phenomena
to developing theories about the role and place of
gravitational mechanisms in various bodily systems.
One example of an evolution in the development
of new knowledge is the discovery of the leading
triggering role in maintaining vertical posture, of

A device to correct motor

disturbances treats patients
with cerebral palsy, stroke,
spinal cord injuries, balance
problems and motor decline The support unloading compensator.
due to aging. Image credit: Institute of Biomedical Problems

39

The support unloading compensator used on
children.
Image credit: Aerospace Medical Center and
Technology
sensory organs called Vater-Paccini corpuscles,
located in the soles of the feet. These receptors
were discovered back in the 19th century, but their
role in gravireception was established very recently,
thanks to ground-based simulation studies designed
to keep cosmonauts balance healthy in long-
duration spaceflights. As a result of these studies, a
unique piece of technology was developed to help
to correct the motor disturbances in individuals with
central nervous system dysfunction, injuries, balance
problems, and motor decline due toaging.
Ground-based studies at IBMP identified a particular
pattern of stabilization between body loading on the
soles of the feet and subsequent motor stabiliza-
tion processes associated with brain and spinal cord
activities. The knowledge obtained revealed that the
development of sensory-motor disturbances may
be prevented by means of artificial support stimuli
applied to the bottoms of the feet. The research results
led to the development of new technology, the sup-
port unloading compensator, a device that stimulates
the support zones of the foot in natural human gait.
The uniqueness of this device lies in its ability to
simulate the physical parameters that the support
receptor or the foot receives during walking: the
magnitude of pressure, temporal characteristics -
duration of impact, intervals between stimulation of
the heel and metatarsal support zones, and intervals
between stimulation of the right and left foot.
But the disturbances of muscle tone and coordination
of movement are not inherent exclusively to weightless-
ness. Diseases of the central nervous system (CNS),
40
brain injuries of various types, long-term motor unload-
ing in aging, as well as some specific occupational
conditions are also accompanied by the development
of the aforementioned changes. Based on these data,
IBMP scientists are working jointly with commercial
companies to introduce motor disturbances corrective
measures that were developed for weightlessness into
the practice of treating and rehabilitating patients with
profound motor lesions that are due to cerebral palsy,
stroke, and brain and spinal cord injuries.
Between 2005 and 2011, the Center for Aerospace
Medicine developed a clinical version of the support
unloading compensator, the Korvit, and obtained all
approval documents and licenses.
Today this technology is being successfully used in
the most acute phase of stroke and facilitates more
significant regression of motor disturbances and earlier
recovery of locomotion than traditional treatment
methods. Of particular interest are the data on
prevention of muscle spasticity development of limbs
affected by paresis in cases when the Korvit device is
used in the first hours after the onset of a stroke.
The use of the support stimulation method in children
during the early recovery phase after surgical treatment
for fractures of the calf bones has facilitated the
reduction of edema by 17 to 20 percent, and an
increase in the range of motion in the ankle joint by
45 percent as early as the first 72 hours after surgery.
Children who do not receive such treatment experience
edema lasting six to eight days, which hinders motion
in the injured limb and retards regenerative processes.
The use of the Korvit apparatus in the integrated reha-
bilitation of Cerebral Palsey patients has made it pos-
sible to maximize restoration of the balance of strength
between extensor and flexor muscles, particularly in
an upright position, and to normalize the functions
of standing and walking, as well as the control of the
coordination of various classes of movements.
New ways to assess neurovestibular
system health in space also benefits
those on Earth
Among the many problems that have confronted the
medical sciences since humans first began exploring
space, a main one is adaptation to the conditions of
changed gravitational force. Upon arrival in weightless-
ness (first three to seven days) and upon the return to
Earth (from landing to three to five days later), virtually
all crew members experience a number of negative
reactions and sensory disorders (orientational illusions,
vertigo, dizziness, problems focusing on and tracking

Assessment of eye movement
reactions leads to faster and
less expensive treatment of
patients suffering from vertigo,
dizziness and equilibrium
disturbances.
visual objects), which are perceived as uncomfortable
and can be accompanied by space motion sickness.
In weightlessness, information received from the
vestibular apparatus within the inner ear does not align
with information received from other sensory systems,
Space experiment Virtual aboard the International Space Station (2013).
Image credit: Roscosmos
so the typical sensory links are broken and the brain
cannot correctly interpret the incoming signals at
the beginning of flight, leading to the development
of space motion sickness. As a result, this causes a
decrease in the quality of crew member performance
of work tasks, particularly those relating to visual
tracking accuracy. It is very likely that the unsuccessful
docking of spacecraft, errors in structural assembly,
and other instances of errors in manual control
that have occurred in orbit were often caused by
disturbances in the function of tracking moving space
objects because of changes in sensory functions.
Analysis of data accumulated in a series of scientific
experiments before, during and after spaceflights on
the stations Salyut-6, Salyut-7, and Mir has led the
Institute of Biomedical Problems in Russia to develop
a method that uses computerized systems named
OculoStim-CM, Virtual and Sensomotor that can
41

Application of the Okulostim-KM hardware/
software system in clinical studies.
Image credit: Institute of Biomedical Problems
accurately assess the state of vestibular function,
intersensory interactions, spatial orientation, and visual
tracking (Russian Federation patent #2307575 dated
10/10/2007, Kornilova L. N. et al.).
At the basis of the method lies the assessment of eye
movement reactions visual tracking tests that are
conducted both with visual targets (stimuli) on a clean
(black) field on the screen and against a backdrop of
additional visual interferences (diffuse spots/ellipses
moving horizontally or vertically) to irritate the
peripheral vision. During the testing under differing
conditions, movements of the eyes (by electro- and
video-oculography) and head (using angular rate
sensors and accelerometers) are recorded.
The eye-movement system is controlled by a complex
hierarchy of innervation mechanisms located at
different levels of the nervous system. The use of
a special test battery makes it possible to evaluate
the disruptions occurring in various forms of eye
movements and, given the known mechanisms of how
these movements are performed, to find the causes of
these disturbances.
This method has been actively used during the preflight
and postflight clinical/physiological examination of
International Space Station (ISS) crew members in
experiments called Virtual and Slezheniye (Pursuit) since
2013 and 2015, respectively and after crew members
return to Earth during experiments Sensory Adaptation
and Gaze-Spin since 2001 and 2009, respectively.
The procedure and hardware/software systems
developed for spaceflight has also demonstrated
42
effectiveness of the computerized method and hard-
ware/software systems for use in diagnosing condi-
tions of the vestibular and its related sensory systems
(primarily visual) and in assessing the stability of static
and dynamic spatial orientation on Earth. The systems
have particularly been useful in experiments simulating
weightlessness (immersion and bed rest); in examining
highly qualified athletes (high-performance sports
gymnastics, figure and speed skating, target shooting,
etc.); in diagnosing and treating patients suffering from
dizziness and equilibrium disturbances; and, in evaluat-
ing the effectiveness of medications (betahistine drugs
Betaver and Betaserc). The OculoStim-CM system
was successfully certified for use in clinical studies of
200 patients with vertigo, dizziness and equilibrium
disturbances, together with specialists from the ner-
vous disease department of the I. M. Sechenov First
Moscow State Medical University, the Academician
Alexander Vein Clinic for the Treatment of Headaches
and Vegetative Disorders, and the Federal Scientific
Clinical Center of Otorhinolaryngology. Such applica-
tion in clinical practice has made it possible to develop
diagnostic criteria to determine the type of vestibular
disturbance, while offering a rapid, less expensive initial
differential diagnosis of dizziness and balance distur-
bances compared to traditional clinical testing.
Space research leads to non-
pharmacological treatment and
prevention of vertigo, dizziness and
equilibrium disturbances
The history of spaceflight has shown that initial intro-
duction to the weightlessness environment, such as
that of the International Space Station, can lead to
space motion sickness, making crew members feel
dizzy and uncoordinated, and even impacting their
ability to track objects with their eyes. The result can
be a negative effect both on the health of crew mem-
bers and the quality of their work performance inflight.
Space research has led to a
patented method used to train
patients to acquire the ability to
suppress vertigo, dizziness and
equilibrium disturbances.

Visual method of training. (Laboratory of Vestibular
Physiology, 2013)
Image credit: Institute of Biomedical Problems
At present, medications are typically used to eliminate
the symptoms of space motion sickness, but they have
a number of contraindications and side effects that can
have a negative effect on various types of professional
activity. Therefore, there has been an obvious need to
develop non-pharmacological methods of preventing
and treating space motion sickness.
It is well known that people in extreme professions,
such as mountain climbers, athletes, acrobats, and
ballet dancers develop the capability to suppress
unfavorable vestibular reactions at the moment high
accelerations act on them by developing a fixation
reflex. However, attempts by many clinicians to
treat patients with vestibular problems using the
same methods have been unsuccessful because of
the vestibular challenges unique to this population.
Therefore, experts at the vestibular physiology
laboratory at the Institute of Biomedical Problems
developed and patented a Computerized method of
preventing and correcting unfavorable perception and
sensorimotor reactions (Russian Federation patent
#2301622 dated 06/27/2007, Kornilova L. N. et al.).
The innovation of this method is in creating a unique
approach to the training of patients depending on their
disease (type of vestibulopathy) and in selecting the
most effective means of training (visual, vestibular, or
combined) for them using biofeedback.
During patient training, depending on the nature of the
vertigo, dizziness or equilibrium disorder and of his/
her disease (type of vestibulopathy), a series of training
sessions is conducted to develop a unique fixation
reflex using biofeedback, provided by the computer
using this method to record eye and head movements.
Training is conducted until the negative reactions
(vertigo, dizziness and equilibrium disturbances) the
patient suffers from disappear or are significantly
reduced. The therapeutic effect of the training is
assessed through a follow-up clinical/neurological
examination, including the use of the computerized
method of comprehensively assessing the condition
of vestibular function and visual tracking function
(Russian Federation patent #2307575 dated 10/10/07,
Kornilova L. N. et al.). The indicator of training success
is the suppression of experimentally induced negative
reactions (full or partial) during the action of visual
and vestibular stimuli while fixing the gaze on an
imaginedtarget.
The non-pharmacological computerized method
for treating and preventing vertigo, dizziness and
equilibrium disturbances was tested in clinical condi-
tions jointly with specialists from the nervous disease
department of the I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State
Medical University, the Academician Alexander Vein
Clinic for the Treatment of Headaches and Vegetative
Disorders, and the Federal Scientific Clinical Center of
Otorhinolaryngology.
The results of the clinical work demonstrated that
patients acquired the capacity to fixate on and hold
the gaze on both real and imagined targets, thus
suppressing (fully or partially) vertigo, dizziness,
nystagmus, and equilibrium disturbances. It was
shown that training effectiveness depended not only
on the disorder (type of vestibulopathy), but also on the
type of training selected. For patients with peripheral
vestibulopathies, the most effective was visual training;
for patients with central vestibulopathies, the vestibular
method was best; and for patients with psychogenic
vestibulopathies, the combined method was preferred.
Analysis of special questionnaires demonstrated that
all patients with psychogenic, 91 percent of patients
with peripheral, and 80 percent of patients with central
vestibulopathies subjectively noted good suppression
of vertigo in everyday conditions and improvement in
general adaptation to real life conditions.
The effectiveness of the non-pharmacological
computerized method has made it a good candidate
for use both during the preflight training of ISS crew
members, and during spaceflight, to suppress the
symptoms of space motion sickness. The suppression
of negative reactions during flight using the fixation
reflex has been successfully applied by crew members
aboard the ISS since 2013.
43
Capturing the secrets of weightless
movements for Earth applications
Leaving Earths gravity initially impairs sensorimotor
coordination in astronauts. Understanding how weight-
less astronauts learn to move and interact with objects
will improve mission safety. There are also benefits to
people on Earth because certain populations with brain
injury or disease experience many of the same coordi-
nation challenges that astronauts experience.
The ELaboratore Immagini TElevisive - Space 2 (ELITE-
S2) developed by Kayser Italia for the Italian Space
Agency (ASI), is a system of hardware and software
that collects information on body movements of astro-
nauts on the International Space Station (ISS) with great
accuracy. Two studies have been carried out with ELITE
S2, Movement in Orbital Vehicle Experiments (MOVE)
and Imagery of object Motion Affected by Gravity In
Null-gravity Experiments (IMAGINE). MOVE involves
reaching and touching a stationary target placed
beyond arms length while standing. This is a typical Limb and body movements recorded by ELITE-S2
movement that on Earth would perturb balance unless during one experiment on the International Space
it was compensated by adjusting the posture of trunk Station.
and leg muscles. While most healthy individuals on Image credit: ASI
Earth can make sure movements, some patients, such
as those with Parkinsons Disease, cannot. Interestingly,
early in flight, astronauts make postural adjustments
that are unnecessary in space but are part of their course of a two-week flight of the space shuttle, the
typical movement patterns on Earth. As the flight pro- motor responses of the astronauts were still sharply
gresses, they learn to reduce unnecessary muscle acti- tuned to gravitational acceleration (http://science1.
vation, although with significant inter-subjectvariability. nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2002/18mar_
IMAGINE tested the ability to interact with a moving playingcatch/). In this study, astronauts asked to catch
object. People have implicit knowledge of how the a ball that was projected downward from the ceiling
world works since infancy, which allows them to react contracted their limb muscles too early, anticipating
appropriately to the environment. In particular, gravity non-existent gravity effects. Later, in the IMAGINE
effects on an object in motion are detected accurately study, the astronauts were instead asked to throw an
so that we can catch a falling object instantly. However, imaginary ball toward the ceiling and to catch it upon
patients with a brain lesion, such as that which is due return in their hand. The motion of the ball was purely
to stroke, often lack this ability. A previous study using imaginary, but subjects performed an actual movement
an antecedent of ELITE S2 demonstrated that over the of their arm as realistic as possible to throw the ball.
In different blocks of trials, they were asked to imag-
ine either that the ball motion was affected by Earths
gravity (1 g) or that it was unaffected by gravity (0 g).
Moreover, they were asked to vary the momentum of
the throw from trial to trial. Surprisingly, it has been
Motor imagery protocols used found that astronauts (including new flyers) are able
in the research environment of to implicitly reproduce the 0 g conditions already on
ground, prior to their mission, although their perfor-
a hospital in Rome treat adult mance improved over the course of their time in space.
stroke patients and children There is a striking dissociation, therefore, between the
motor control system that drives automatic responses
with cerebral palsy. tuned to Earths gravity, where the anticipation of
gravity persists even after two weeks in space, and

44
the cognitive system that allows one to imagine 0-g in the presence of Earths gravity to stay healthy. In
movements even on the ground and that appears space, traditional Earth-based methods to maintain
endowed with a more general implicit knowledge of bones and muscles, such as physical exercise, are
Newtons laws. challenging due to constraints that include such
The results from this study will not only provide more factors as crew time and vehicle size. To meet these
information that can be used to keep astronauts challenges, specialists from the Institute of Biomedical
healthy but could also lead to new rehabilitation Problems in Russia and their commercial partner,
strategies to help people with brain injuries. In fact, Zvezda, developed the Penguin suit to provide loading
mental imagery represents a powerful tool to rehabili- along the length of the body (axial loading) in a way
tate sensorimotor coordination in disabled patients. that compensates for the lack of daily loading that the
These motor imagery protocols are currently used in body usually experiences under the Earths gravity. The
the research environment of the Neuromotor Reha- first testing of the suit in space was performed in 1971
bilitation Hospital of Santa Lucia Foundation in Rome. aboard the Salyut-1 station. Now the Penguin suit is
In particular, imagery training is used in adult stroke actively used on the International Space Station as a
patients as well as in children with cerebral palsy. The regular component of the Russian countermeasure
training protocols involve the presentation of computer system of health maintenance.
displays under supervision by medical or paramedical
staff. Mental imagery is typically trained in combina-
tion with conventional physical therapy over a period
of several weeks. Improved motor performance can
be attributed to two main factors: 1) mental practice
helps keep the motor programs active when little or no
movements are possible, and 2) it allows an increase
in the duration of the training session without adding to
the physical demands of the task. There are still open
issues in this ongoing research, such as establishing
the best time window in the course of the disease at
which mental practice could prove effective as well as
determining the long-term effects of imagery training.

Space technologies in the rehabilitation

of movement disorders
More than 50 years have passed since the first human
spaceflight. As the duration of the flights has increased
considerably, and amount of in-orbit activities has
become greater, the need to maintain healthy bones
and muscles in space has become more critical.
Bones and muscles rely on performing daily activities

Treatment suits are used in

Russia for the comprehensive
and drug-free treatment of
cerebral palsy in children and The Adeli treatment suit in use for pediatric
in patients with stroke and rehabilitation.
Image credit: Aerospace Medical Center and
brain trauma. Technology, Russia

45
Since the early 1990s, Professor Inessa Kozlovskaya
and her team at the Institute of Biomedical Problems in
Russia have implemented the use of this axial loading
suit in clinical rehabilitation practice. The clinical
version of the Penguin suit, the Adeli, was developed
at the Institute of Pediatrics Russian Academy of
Science under the leadership of Professor Ksenia
Semyonova and is used for the comprehensive
treatment of cerebral palsy in children. The treatment
method is focused on restoring functional links of the
body through a corrective flow of sensory information
to the muscles, thereby improving the health of the
tissues being loaded. This results in the correction
of walking patterns and stabilization of balance in
a relatively short period of time, including for those
cerebral palsy children with deep motor disturbances.
The Adeli suit was licensed in 1992 and has been
continuously developed since. These methods have
become one of the most popular and widely used in
Russian medical clinics for rehabilitation of children
with infantile cerebral paralysis.
New methods were also developed for patients
undergoing motor rehabilitation after stroke and brain
trauma. Paralytic and paretic alterations of motor
functions that are the most frequent after-effects of
these diseases typically lead to significant limitations
in motor and social activity of these patients, decrease
their functional abilities and obstruct their rehabilita-
tion. Given all of the complexities and importance of The Regent treatment suit in use for patient
the rehabilitation of these patients, another clinical rehabilitation.
modification of the Penguin suit was developed called Image credit: Aerospace Medical Center and
the Regent suit. The complex effect of the Regent Technology, Russia
suit on the body is based on an increase of the axial
loading on skeletal structures and an increase in resis-
tive loads on muscles during movement, which results
in an increase of sensory information to the nervous Center of Neurology under leadership of professor
system that is important for counteracting the develop- Ludmila Chernikova. These studies have shown that
ment of pathological posture and for normalization of use of the suit results in a significant decrease in pare-
vertical stance and walking control. The Regent suit is sis and spasticity in the lower leg muscle groups, as
effectively used at the early stage of rehabilitation for well as an improvement of sensitivity in distal parts of
patients having movement disorders after cerebrovas- lower limbs, and an overall improvement of locomotor
cular accident and cranium-brain traumas. functions. The positive effect on high mental functions
The clinical studies of the efficacy of the Regent suit was noticed at the same time, namely, an improve-
in the rehabilitation of motor disorders in patients with ment of speech characteristics, an increase of active
limited lesions of the central nervous system were per- vocabulary, and an improvement in the patients ability
formed in acute and chronic studies with the participa- to recognize objects.
tion of hundreds of stroke and brain trauma patients The use of the Regent suit is a complex, drug-free
in the hospital No 83 Federal Medical-Biological approach to the treatment of motor disorders. The
Agency of Russia under leadership of professor Sergey method is closely related to the natural function of
Shvarkov, and in the Center of Speech Pathology and walking, activates all of the muscles involved in posture
Neurorehabilitation under leadership of professor Vick- and spatial orientation and is very safe. It allows for
tor Shklovsky. The efficacy of the suit in patients with shorter treatment time, can be used both under
post stroke hemiparesis was assessed at the Scientific

46
hospital and outpatient conditions and allows for a
wide range of adjustments that allow individualized
rehabilitation programs based on uniqueness of the
neurological deficit and functional abilities of each
patient. Today the Regent suit is applied in 43 medical
institutions in Russia and abroad, and the results
related to using both the Adeli and Regent suits are
based on numerous observations and clinical studies.
Editors note: Small studies based in the U.S. and
Israel were not able to distinguish improvements from
Adeli suit therapy with traditional physical therapy.
Therefore, this therapy has not yet been adopted in
North America.

47
High oblique view of an eruption plume from Kliuchevskoi Volcano on the Kamchatka
Peninsula, Russia. The International Space Station was located over a ground
position more than 1,500 km to the southwest when the image was taken on
November 16, 2013.
Image credit: NASA

48
Earth Observation and
Disaster Response

The International Space Station is a global observation and diagnosis station. It promotes international
Earth observations aimed at understanding and resolving the environmental issues of our home planet.
A wide variety of Earth observation payloads can be attached to the exposed facilities on the stations
exterior as well as in the Window Observational Research Facility located within the Destiny module.
The presence of a human crew also provides a unique capability for real-time observation of the
Earth, and on the fly data collection using hand-held digital cameras, and the astronauts may also
provide input to ground personnel programming the stations automated Earth observation systems.
Several instruments are currently collecting data from the International Space Station; in addition,
some instruments have completed their data collection missions, with other remote sensing systems in
development or proposed by researchers from the partner countries, NASA, academic institutions, and
corporations. The existing international partnerships, fundamental to the International Space Station,
facilitate data sharing that can benefit people around the world and promote international collaboration
on other Earth observation activities. The station contributes to humanity by collecting data on the global
climate, environmental change, and natural hazards using its unique complement of crew-operated and
automated Earth observation payloads.

49
50
Environmental Earth Observations
The space station offers a unique vantage for observing the Earths ecosystems and atmosphere
with hands-on and automated equipment. The size, power, and data transfer capabilities of the
station enable a wide range of sophisticated sensor systems including optical multispectral and
hyperspectral imaging systems for examining the Earths land surface and coastal oceans, as well
as active radar and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems useful for investigating sea surface
winds and atmospheric aerosol transportation patterns. Astronauts using hand-held digital cameras
provide an additional imaging capability for obtaining both detailed images of the Earth surface as
well as sweeping panoramic views of its atmosphere. This flexibility is an advantage over sensors on
unmanned spacecraft, especially when unexpected natural events such as volcanic eruptions and
earthquakes occur.

Earth remote sensing from the
spacestation
The installation of new facilities and sophisticated
internal and external remote-sensing systems have
transformed the International Space Station into a
capable platform for Earth remote sensing. It also
retains the unique distinction of being the only such
platform with a human crew, which provides unique
opportunities and advantages for remote sensing,
particularly in the arena of data collection for disaster
response efforts. So what can the station offer in terms
of Earth remote sensing that free-flying, robotic satellite
systems cannot?
latitude at different times of day and under varying
illumination conditions. Robotic, satellite-based,
Earth-observing sensors are typically placed on polar-
orbiting, sun-synchronous platforms in orbits designed
to pass over the same spot on the Earths surface at
approximately the same time of day.
Responsive Data Collection
Another advantage unique to the space station is
the presence of crew that can react to unfolding
events in real time, rather than needing a new data
collection program uploaded from ground control.

The space station significantly

improves our ability to monitor
the Earth and respond
to natural hazards and
catastrophes.

Images With a Variety of Lighting Conditions

Unlike many of the traditional Earth observation
platforms, the station orbits the Earth in an inclined
equatorial orbit that is not sun-synchronous. This
means that the station passes over locations on the
Earth between 52 degrees north and 52 degrees south
Crew Earth Observations of forest fires near
Sydney, Australia, taken just after local sunset with
a handheld camera on Oct. 23, 2013. Orange fires
and grey smoke threaten nearby towns.
Image credit: NASA

51
This is particularly important for collecting imagery of
unexpected natural hazard events such as volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis. The crew can
also determine whether viewing conditionslike cloud
cover or illuminationwill allow useful data to be
collected, as opposed to a robotic sensor that collects
data automatically without regard to quality.
This is well demonstrated by the International Space
Station (ISS) response to disaster events, in support of
the International Charter, Space and Major Disasters
(http://www.disasterscharter.org/home), also known
as the International Disaster Charter (IDC). The ISS
became a participating platformin other words, a
potential source of remotely sensed datain April
2012, joining many other NASA satellite assets. As of
May 2015, the NASA-managed sensor systems on
International Space Station SERVIR Environmental
Research and Visualization System Pathfinder
(ISERV) image of flooding in Cambodia, taken Nov.
1, 2013.
Image credit: NASA
52
ISS have responded to 130 IDC activations, with data
collected for 34 of those events by either astronauts or
ground-commanded sensors (or both).
The following NASA Earth observation instruments
and facilities are now aboard and operational on the
space station. International Partner sensor systems
and programs are described in other articles included
in this volume.
Window Observational Research Facility (WORF;
http://worf.msfc.nasa.gov/) provides a highly
stable, internal mounting platform to hold cameras
and sensors steady while offering power, com-
mand, data and cooling connections.
ISS-RapidSCAT (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/
iss-rapidscat/) monitors ocean surface wind speed
and direction to provide essential measurements
used in weather predictions, including hurricane
monitoring. The sensor is mounted on the Colum-
bus Module External Payload Facility and measures
the echo strength of microwaves reflected off of
the ocean surface. Several views of the same sea
surface area provides radar return signals that can
be used to estimate wind speed and direction.
The Cloud Aerosol Transport System (CATS; http://
cats.gsfc.nasa.gov/) is a LiDAR sensor that obtains
measurements of atmospheric aerosols and clouds.
Clouds and aerosols reflect a significant proportion
of the suns energy back to space, but their com-
plex interaction in Earths atmosphere is not yet fully
understood. Data from CATS will allow scientists
to better assess the role and impact of clouds and
aerosols on Earths global energy budget andcli-
mate.
The High-Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) camera
(http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV) includes four dif-
ferent commercial, high-definition cameras on the
Columbus External Facility. The investigation is as-
sessing camera quality while taking Earth imagery
and the hardwares ability to survive and function in
the extreme thermal and radioactive environment of
low-Earth orbit.
International Space Station SERVIR Environmental
Research and Visualization System Pathfinder (IS-
ERV; http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/
research/experiments/867.html) is a sensor system
collecting visible-wavelength imagery at ground
resolutions of approximately 3 meters per pixel,
which completed its mission in early 2015.
Crew Earth Observations (CEO; http://eol.jsc.nasa.
gov) includes Earth imagery taken by crew mem-
bers using handheld cameras.
The combined capabilities of both human-operated
and autonomous sensor systems aboard the space
station are helping to significantly improve our ability
to monitor the Earth and respond to natural hazards
and catastrophes. Integration of the space station
Earth observation systems represents a significant
and complementary addition to the international,
satellite-based, Earth-observing system of systems,
providing knowledge and insight into our shared
globalenvironment.
Coastal ocean sensing extended mission
Scanning the globe from the vantage point of the
International Space Station (ISS) is about more than
the fantastic view. While cruising in low-Earth orbit
on the ISS, the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal
Ocean (HICO) gave researchers a valuable new way to
view the coastal zone.
Coastal waters are an
important link between
local and global economic
development and
environmental sustainability,
and HICO on the space station
was the first space instrument
designed to observe them.
HICO, originally a one-year demonstration program
supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR)
was installed on the ISS on Sept. 23, 2009, and
collected data until Sept. 14, 2014. HICO far exceeded
its planned mission and provided new insights into
coastal environments around the world.
Using the HICO imaging spectrometer mounted
outside the station on the Japanese Experiment
Module - Exposed Facility of the Kibo Laboratory,
researchers collected data about the Earth that will
help them to better understand coastal environments
and other regions around the world.
HICO was the first spaceborne, hyperspectral imager
optimized for environmental characterization of the
coastal ocean and large lakes. Archived HICO image
data is being exploited to produce maps of coastal
ocean properties, and provides a new science dataset
for coastal regions worldwide. The HICO experimental
sensor offered 10 times the spectral and spatial
resolution of other ocean color sensors.
Why is this important? Coastal waters are an important
link between local and global economic development
and environmental sustainability. Coastal zones
support many of the worlds major cities (and their
industrial zones, ports, and recreational facilities); they
also include critical ecosystems that support fisheries
and protect shorelines. Similarly, large lakes and
reservoirs provide many of the same benefits and are
the water supply for millions of people.
The ONR sponsored the development and first three
years of the operation of HICO as an Innovative Naval
Prototype. The HICO prototype had two goals. The
first was to demonstrate ways to drastically reduce
the cost and schedule of building a space payload.
By innovative design and using commercial-off-
the-shelf components where possible, the Naval
Research Laboratory (NRL) engineers effectively built
HICO in 18 months at a small fraction of the cost of
traditional space instruments. The second goal was to
demonstrate the ability to produce valuable images of
coastal environmental properties using hyperspectral
imagery from space.
Hyperspectral Imager for Coastal Ocean being
installed on the Japanese Experiment Module
- Exposed Facility of the Kibo Laboratory,
Sept. 23, 2009.
Image credit: NASA
53
 Hyperspectral Imager for Coastal Ocean image of a massive Microcystis bloom in western Lake Erie, Sept. 3,
2011, as confirmed by spectral analysis.
Image credit: NASA NRL OSU
These goals were met and the mission extended by
NASA continuing to fund operation of the sensor.
HICO data was used by scientists at NRL, Oregon
State University and over 50 other institutions
worldwide to study coastal environments. Access to
the instrument by researchers in U.S. government
agencies, commercial entities and other non-academic
institutions was also available through proposals to
the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space
(http://www.iss-casis.org). Studies ranged from
characterizing coral reefs of Australia, New Caledonia,
and Palau to assessing water quality in lakes and
reservoirs in North America and Europe to developing
algorithms for NASA and European-proposed,
hyperspectral instruments.
The results from HICO investigations provide benefits
to agencies with marine responsibilities, such as the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) via information on bathymetry, bottom type,
water clarity, and other water optical properties.
Scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency
used HICO data (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_
pages/station/research/news/epa_coastal.html) to
develop water quality monitoring tools that will allow
the public to check water conditions from their mobile
devices. The rich hyperspectral information available
from HICO enabled the use of spectral techniques
to specifically identify features such as the massive
Microcystis bloom in Western Lake Erie (shown
above), which threatened the water supply for millions
of people in September 2011.
54
HICO was operated under ONR sponsorship for over
three years and in 2013, NASA assumed sponsor-
ship of operations in order to leverage HICOs ability to
address their Earth-monitoring mission. This opened
up access of HICO data to the broad research com-
munity. All the HICO data is now available on NASAs
Ocean Color website (http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/).
Visual and instrumental scientific
observation of the ocean from space
One feature of oceanographic research conducted
with the participation of cosmonauts on orbital
stations, including the historical Salyut, Mir, and the
current International Space Station (ISS), is the broad
application of the method of scientific visual and
instrumental observation of the worlds oceans from
space. The basis of the method is the visual search,
detection and identification of phenomena under
examination in the near-surface layer of the ocean
and the atmosphere above it. This is the simplest, yet
one of the most informative, ways to obtain data in
the visible spectrum on the condition of the oceans
natural environment. The reliability and scientific value
of information on the ocean obtained in this way
significantly increases because of the targeted use of
special recording equipment (such as digital photo and
digital video cameras) and of on-board instruments
that expand the capabilities of the crew members
visual analysis capabilities during observations. Such
combined observations are referred to as visual and
instrumental. The methods of visual and instrumental

Visual and instrumental
observations of the ocean
from space have broad
practical applications
for resolving the issues
pertaining to the research of
biological resources of the
worlds oceans.
observation (VIO methods) are used to establish
informational databases in the visible electromagnetic
wave spectrum not only in the field of remote sensing
of the oceans but also in other areas of knowledge and
practicalactivity.
The many years of Russian experience conducting
oceanographic experiments by crews on the long-
term, orbital stations, Salyut, Mir, and ISS, have made
it possible to evaluate the actual informational potential
of VIO of the worlds oceans from space. Also, this has
allowed for the development of a flight-tested method
of solving specific issues of oceanography and of
developing equipment and procedures for the remote
sensing of the ocean. These procedures and methods
are frequently reviewed while conducting oceano-
graphic experiments with cosmonauts participation,
as is currently done on the ISS as part of some space
experiments (e.g. Diatomea, Seiner, etc.). the ocean-atmosphere system in real time, to identify
The main object of search and observation for a cos-
monaut researcher while working on this category of
task using VIO is large-scale, color-contrast formations
(CCF) on ocean surfaces related to the mass growth of
phytoplankton (Fig. 1). In the field of view of space sta-
tion crews observing the ocean surface along the flight
path, a wide variety of cloud formations are constantly
present. In addition, the following are observed among
cloud fields above the ocean: cloud indicators of tropi-
cal cyclones in varying stages of development (Fig.
2), lineaments (Fig. 3) identifying jet streams, cumulus
clouds with powerful vertical development above the
ocean surface under intensive atmospheric convection
(Fig. 4), and other phenomena of interest for maritime
meteorology serving the shipping industry, aviation,
and seafood industry.
Of particular importance among hydro-meteorological
phenomena observable by the VIO method are
tropospheric cloud formations characteristic for
the movement of air masses past obstacles in the
atmosphere of island regions (Karman vortex streets,
Helmholtz gravitational shear waves, etc.). Experiments
have also proven the capability to identify and record,
through imagery from space, optically active events
in the atmosphere, such as terrigenous dust and
sand flows (Fig. 13), fog, volcanic ash clouds over
the ocean, etc., and regions with signs of intensive
thunderstorm activity. Applicable to the hydro-physical
area of oceanic research, the VIO method ensures
obtaining documented data on the nature of local
water circulation (Fig. 1), icebergs (Fig. 6), the structure
of surface agitation fields (Figs. 7 and 8), broken ice
(Fig. 5), and the color and transparency of water (Figs.
1, 9 and 10). The results of such data interpretation
are used to describe the most significant elements
of general ocean water circulation and to deal with
hydro-optictasks.
To date, a significant amount of information obtained
from the visual and instrumental observations of
the oceans from space, has been collected and
grouped according to various objects of environmental
monitoring. As applicable to open ocean ecosystems,
the most broadly represented are the results of
observations and color photographs of the ocean
characterizing the diversity of forms and condition
of coral reefs (Figs. 11 and 12), the morphology of
different sizes of phytoplankton fields and the hydro-
dynamic specifics of the environments in which they
live (Fig. 1).
The most important aspect of the VIO method is the
capability to evaluate the environmental condition of
anomalous processes and phenomena in the ocean
environment, such as surfactant films (Fig. 14), oil and
petroleum products spills (Fig. 16), contamination of
clean ocean waters with surface runoff (Fig. 15), and
rinsing agents of ferromanganese nodules mined from
the sea floor in mining areas of the oceans.
Currently, visual and instrumental observations of the
ocean from space have broad practical applications
for resolving the issues pertaining to the research
of biological resources of the worlds oceans. The
increased attention to this area of research is explained
by the relevance of the problem, by the capability
to conduct research using relatively inexpensive
commercial photography equipment, and by the
existence of an algorithm of searching and identifying
from space, highly productive waters of the worlds
oceans that have been tested by crews on Russian
space stations and patented.
55
 1. Phytoplankton field 2. Cloud canopy of a 3. Cloudless 4. C
 louds of intensive
typhoon lineaments vertical development

5. Condition of ice 6. Antarctic iceberg 7. D

 evelopment of 8. A
 rea of calm in the
cover internal waves shadow of an island

9. Sea floor relief 10. Sea floor of 11. S

 ea floor of an 12. A
 bove-water part
Bermuda atoll of an atoll

13. Dust/sand streams 14. Surfactant film 15. R

 iver runoff 16. Oil spill
contamination contamination

Image credit: Roscosmos/Energia/FGUP TsNIIMash

56
Disaster Response
Remotely sensed data acquired by orbital sensor systems has emerged as a vital tool to identify
the extent of damage resulting from a natural disaster, as well as providing near-real time mapping
support to response efforts on the ground and humanitarian aid efforts. The International Space
Station (ISS) is a unique terrestrial remote-sensing platform for acquiring disaster-response imagery.
Unlike automated remote-sensing platforms it has a human crew; is equipped with both internal
and externally mounted still and video imaging systems; and has an inclined, low-Earth orbit that
provides variable views and lighting (day and night) over 95 percent of the inhabited surface of the
Earth. As such, it provides a useful complement to autonomous sensor systems in higher-altitude
polar orbits for collecting imagery in support of disaster response.

Space station camera captures Earthly

disaster scenes
Of all the hundreds of spacecraft and satellites in low-
Earth orbit, few can match the International Space
Station (ISS) for its view of the big, blue marble below
it. The ISS, circling the Earth once every 90 minutes,
offers a unique observing platform with over 90
percent of the Earths populated area visible from its
orbit. Scientists put that spectacular view to good use
by using a camera on the ISS to demonstrate disaster
observation and responses to humanitarian requests.

The ISERV camera helped

the space station support
countries around the world,
making the ISS even more
of an international asset by
capitalizing on the unique
view of Earth it provides.
The system is a prototype called the ISS SERVIR Envi-
ronmental Research and Visualization System (ISERV)
Pathfinder. ISERV was developed by NASA to support
a joint NASA/US Agency for International Development
(USAID) project known as SERVIR (http://www.nasa.
gov/mission_pages/servir/index.html) and potentially
The Royal Gorge wildfire ignited on June 11, 2013,
northwest of Caon City and along the Arkansas
River in central Colorado. The fire raged over
the sagebrush and pine-covered topography,
charring 3,218 acres in five days until firefighters
finally corralled it. This ISS SERVIR Environmental
Research and Visualization System (ISERV) image
shows the Arkansas River passing through the
burn scar.
Image credit: NASA

57
 June floods devastated much of southern Alberta, Canada, and forced the evacuation of over 100,000 citizens in
Calgary and nearby towns. Three people died in the swirling, murky waters, which also caused millions of dollars
worth of damage on June 22 and the days following. Before and after images of flooding in downtown Calgary
are shown here. The GeoEye/IKONOS (a commercial satellite sensor) image on the left, taken on Sept. 13, 2008,
shows normal flow of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. The ISERV image, captured June 22, 2013, is on the right and
shows floodwaters from the two rivers inundating downtown Calgary. Canadian officials used the images to help in
their disaster assessments and to improve their flood-mapping algorithms.
Image credits: left, Digital Globe; right, NASA

the broader NASA Applied Sciences community. The
word servir is Spanish for to serve. The SERVIR
project provides satellite data and tools to environmen-
tal decision makers in developing countries and oper-
ates via regional hubs in Nairobi, Kenya; Kathmandu,
Nepal; and Panama City, Panama. These SERVIR hubs
can task the ISERV system to image scenes of Earths
surface in their countries to address environmental
issues and disasters. SERVIRs coordination office
at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,
Alabama, controls ISERV operations.
Installed in January 2013 for a two-year mission, the
camera observes our planets surface through the
Destiny modules Earth-facing window, acting on
commands to photograph specific areas during the
space stations next pass over them. ISERVs targets
were threatened by or already experiencing floods,
landslides, forest fires, or other disasters. The images
were used to monitor the situation, evaluate damage
extent and direct evacuation and disaster relief efforts.
ISERV was well adapted to higher-resolution survey
applications like disaster monitoring andassessment.
ISERV captured first light on Feb. 16, 2013, and the
myriad images it has captured since then of locales
around the world include critical disaster photos. As
two examples, ISERV images revealed the burn scar
left by the June 11-16, 2013, Royal Gorge wildfire in

58
Colorado, and the devastation caused by floodwaters
in Calgary on June 22-24, 2013.
While the ISERV camera completed its primary
mission goals in December 2014, the system remains
aboard the International Space Station and could be
re-deployed if needed to capture imagery of natural
disasters. The ISERV camera can help the space
station lend support to countries around the world,
making the ISS even more of an international asset by
capitalizing on the unique view of Earth it provides.
Editors note:
Georeferenced images are available for public use at:
ftp://ghrc.nsstc.nasa.gov/pub/iserv/data/L0/.
The SERVIR team provides an online map/tool (http://
www.servirglobal.net/mapresources/iserv/) that allows
users to locate and download ISERV images.
Clear high-definition images aid disaster
response
Data collected from various International Space
Station (ISS) sensor systems have contributed to
Earth observation and disaster response through
international collaboration frameworks, such as the
International Charter, Space and Major Disasters
(http://www.disasterscharter.org/home) and Sentinel
Asia (http://www.jaxa.jp/article/special/sentinel_asia/
index_e.html). The Japanese Experiment Module
(JEM), or Kibo, provides opportunities to obtain very
clear high-definition (HD) images both from internal
handheld and externally mounted cameras. These
clear images are beneficial for disaster support.
Night view of Italy.
Image credit: JAXA/NASA
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
offers data taken with two camera systems, the Super
Sensitive HDTV Camera System (SS-HDTV) and the
Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) High-Definition
Television Camera System on JEM External Facility
(HDTV-EF). JEM-EF is an unpressurized, multipurpose
pallet structure attached to the JEM. This external
platform is used for research in diverse areas such
as communications, space science, engineering,
technology demonstration, materials processing, and
Earth observation.
SS-HDTV was developed to take night images of the
Earth, including such phenomena as aurora, airglow
and meteor showers. It is operated in the ISS pressur-
ized module cabin including the JEM and the Cupola
Observational Module. The beautiful night images are
utilized for the check of the electric power restoration
and the revival of cities after a natural disaster and the
return of normal life to those people affected.
Images of the Earth surface, the ocean, clouds, etc.,
are taken from ISS for disaster response, education
and publicity purposes.
Data collected from various
ISS sensor systems have
contributed to Earth
observation and disaster
response through international
collaboration frameworks.
Night view, aurora and airglow.
Image credit: JAXA/NASA
59
 Wildfire, Queensland, Australia.
Image credit: JAXA/NASA
Sentinel Asia aims to promote international cooperation
to monitor natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to statistics by the Asian Disaster Reduction
Centers Natural Disasters Data Book 2013, Asia
accounts for 44.6 percent of occurrences; 84.6
percent of people killed; 87.1 percent of affected
people; and 49.0 percent of economic damage. Under
these circumstances, the Asia-Pacific Regional Space
Agency Forum (APRSAF) proposed Sentinel Asia
in 2005 to showcase the value and impact of Earth
observation technologies.
Sentinel Asia uses Earth observation satellites and
other space technologies to collect disaster-related
60
Hurricane Sandy.
Image credit: JAXA/NASA
information and shares it over the internet. The aim
is to mitigate and prevent damage caused by natural
disasters such as typhoons, floods, earthquakes,
tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires. Sentinel
Asia now counts 15 international organizations and
83 participating organizations from 25 countries as
members, and utilization of its systems is steadily
expanding. JAXA, as the only Asian partner of the ISS,
will continue to support disaster response and hopes
to contribute to Asia and the whole world with Kibo
and its high-definition cameras.
61
Water filtration plant set up in Balakot, Pakistan, following the earthquake disaster
in 2005. The unit is based on space station technology and processes water
using gravity fed from a mountain stream.
Image credit: Water Security Corporation

62
Innovative
Technology

In space, physical processes can be better understood with the control of external influences such as
gravity. Technical innovations designed for space systems are tested on the International Space Station
(ISS) before use in other spacecraft systems. While investigating how new technologies operate in space,
unexpected discoveries are possible. Simplified physical systems can also be directly used to improve
models of physical processes leading to new industrial techniques and materials.
The ISS provides the unique capability to perform long-duration experiments in the absence of gravity
and in interaction with other spacecraft systems not available in any other laboratory. Additional insight
comes from the presence of the ISS crew observing and interacting with these experiments and
participating in the discovery process.
The ISS research portfolio includes many engineering and technology investigations designed to take
advantage of these opportunities. Experiments investigating thermal processes, nanostructures, fluids
and other physical characteristics are taking place to develop these technologies and provide new
innovations in those fields. Additionally, advanced engineering activities operating in the space station
infrastructure are proving next-generation space systems to increase capabilities and decrease risks
to future missions. Emerging materials, technology and engineering research activities on the ISS are
developing into benefits for economic development and quality of life.

63
64
Fluids and Clean Water
Whether in the vacuum of space or the relative comfort of the Earths surface, access to clean water
is essential for living organisms. The challenges of moving and processing fluids such as water using
compact, reliable systems in the microgravity environment of space have led to advances in the
way we purify water sources on the ground. Testing methods developed to ensure water quality on
the International Space Station (ISS) have led to advancements in water monitoring here on Earth.
Investigations into the basic dynamics of how fluids move in space have also led to advances in medical
diagnostic devices.

Advanced ISS technology supports water
purification efforts worldwide
Whether in the confines of the International
Space Station or a tiny hut village in sub-Saharan
Africa, drinkable water is vital for human survival.
Unfortunately, many people around the world lack
access to clean water. Using technology developed
for the space station, at-risk areas can gain access
to advanced water filtration and purification systems,
making a life-saving difference in these communities.
Using technology developed
for the space station, at-risk
areas can gain access to
advanced water filtration and
purification systems, making a
life-saving difference in these
communities.
livestock, which they sifted through fabric to remove
dirt and debris.
Todd Harrison was president of CFKs board of
directors at the time and strongly empathized with the
people of Kendala. He set out on a mission to revive
the ailing community by improving the deplorable
conditions. The solution came in the form of a familial
connection that put Harrison in touch with NASA
engineers who developed technology to provide clean
water aboard the space station.
Harrisons sister, Robyn Gatens, was the engineering
manager for the Environmental Control and Life
Support System (ECLSS) project at NASAs Marshall

In 2006, the first of many ground-based water filtration

systems using NASA technology was installed in
northern Iraq. The system was developed by Water
Security Corporation in Reno, Nevada, and installed
by the nonprofit organization Concern for Kids (CFK).
CFK representatives learned about a deep-water well
failure in the tiny Kurdish village of Kendala, Iraq, which
left its residents without access to drinkable water.
The population quickly dwindled from 1,000 residents Girl at hydration station.
to a mere 150. Those remaining were forced to use a
Image credit: Sinergia Systemas
nearby creek that contained water contaminated by

65
Space Flight Center. She and her team of engineers
were responsible for developing the cutting-edge water
purification system that recycles air and water aboard
the station.
By efficiently recycling wastewater aboard the space
station, there is a reduced need to provide the
resource via resupplywhich would not be an option
for long-duration space travel. Without this capability,
the stations current logistics resupply capacity would
not be able to support the standard population of six
crew members.
Two principal components make up the International
Space Station Regenerative ECLSS: The Water Recov-
ery System (WRS) and the Oxygen Generation System
(OGS). The WRS conducts the water purification and
filtration process in the ECLSS. Water Security Corpo-
ration (WSC) took an interest in this part of the ECLSS
project, and licensed the technology in order to adapt
it to an Earth-based water treatment system.
Harrison discovered an interesting relationship between
WSCs water filtration system and NASA because of
his familiarity with his sisters work. NASAs previous
research and application provided the Microbial Check
Valve (MCV), an integral component of the purification
and filtration process.
The MCV is an iodinated-resin that provides a simple
way to control microbial growth in water without the
use of power. By dispensing iodine into the water, it
performs an important secondary nutritional function
for the populace. When added to the diet, it promotes
proper brain function and maintains bodily hormone Chiapas installed system at school.
levels, which regulate cell development and growth.
Children born in iodine-deficient areas are at risk of Image credit: Sinergia Systemas
neurological disorders and mental retardation.
With the help of U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psycho-
logical Operations Command (Airborne) personnel, a around the world. Applications have included home
2,000-liter water tank and fresh water were delivered water purifiers in India, village processing systems in
to the Kurdish village in Iraq. Workers ensured that the remote areas of Mexico, Central and South America,
water was clean and iodinated to prevent bacteria and water bottle filling stations in Pakistan, and even a
virus contamination. When CFK encountered techni- survival bag designed as a first response device for
cal issues, Gatens and her team were able to help by natural disasters, refugee camps, civil emergencies
phone to implement a workaround that enabled the and remote locations.
successful processing of Kendalas water supply.
Joint collaborations between aid organizations and
Exploring the wonders of fluid motion:
NASA technology show just how effectively space
research can adapt to contribute answers to global
Improving life on Earth through
problems. Since this initial effort, the commercialization understanding the nature of Marangoni
of this station-related technology has provided aid and convection
disaster relief for communities worldwide. WSC, in Fluid is everywhere in our lives. The Earth, known
collaboration with other organizations, has deployed as the water planet, is able to support life in part
systems using NASA water-processing technology because of the presence of water. From the lava that

66
 formed under microgravity conditions. To learn
thermal-fluid dynamics in microgravity, the convection
ISS gives us the unique in a liquid bridge of silicone oil is generated by heating
opportunity to study a one disc higher than the other, allowing scientists to
observe flow patterns that can tell them about how
fundamental principle heat is transferred in microgravity.
of motion, Marangoni Surface tension is the characteristic of a liquid in which
convection, which is revealed it forms a layer at its surface so that this surface covers
as small an area as possible. For example, in the image
in microgravity but masked below, one can see the coin floating on the surface of
by gravity onEarth. the water. Surface tension is the force that keeps the
heavier coin from sinking. In general, surface tension
becomes stronger with decreasing temperature. A

cools to form islands, the blood that flows in our veins,

and the molten metals that we turn into structures
and vehicles, human beings have been using fluids
throughout history. Understanding the fundamental
principles of fluid motion is important for all walks of
life, from the microfluidic systems that deliver drugs to
keep us healthy to the rocket fuel tanks that propel us
into the vastness of space. One of these fundamental
principles of motion, Marangoni convection, is revealed
in microgravity but masked by the stronger force
of gravity on Earth. The International Space Station
gives us the unique opportunity to study this principle
indetail.
Marangoni convection is the flow driven by the
presence of a surface tension gradient that can be The Earth, known as the water planet.
produced by a temperature difference at a liquid/ Image credit: JAXA/Japan Broadcasting
gas interface. It can best be studied in a liquid bridge Corporation

A liquid bridge forms in the International Space

Station Kibo Module. (Diameter: 30 mm, Length:
A coin floats on the surface of the water because of 62.5 mm)
surface tension.
Image credit: JAXA/Yokohama National
Image credit: JAXA University/Tokyo University of Science

67

Pictured are the tears or legs of wine. Droplets
form the vicinity of the fluids surface and drip
into the wine continuously.
Image credit: Professor Hiroshi Kawamura,
Tokyo University of Science
trait of Marangoni convection is a surface tension-
driven fluid flow in which the driving force is localized
only at the surface. When a temperature difference
exists along a surface, the surface is pulled toward
a low-temperature region. The surface tension
difference is also produced under fluid concentration
differences at the meniscus (the fluids surface), such
as what you may see in a wine glass as tears or legs
of wine.
Such a phenomenon is often observed in everyday life.
For example, oil in a pan heated from the center moves
to the side. Oil floating on water immediately moves
when a surfactant (e.g., detergent) drops onto a part of
the oil because of the imbalance in the surface tension.
The detergent causes the center to have a lower
surface tension while the outside has a higher surface
tension; therefore, the center and the oil were pulled
out in all directions to equalize the surface tension.
These phenomena result from the Marangonieffect.
The Marangoni experiment has obtained the flow
transition process from laminar to turbulent (chaotic)
flows. The onset conditions of oscillatory flow were
clarified by studying long liquid bridges, which are
only available under the microgravity environment
present on the space station. This helps to make
more accurate predictions of instability onsets that
can give rise to different pattern-forming instabilities.
In a higher temperature difference regime, transitions
to the chaotic and turbulent flows are detected and
characterized. This knowledge of the floating zone
(liquid bridge), may help in refining a technique that
68
is used to produce extremely high purity crystals by
the semiconductor and rare metals industries. Flow
disturbance is a major cause for the deterioration of
the quality of the crystal grown by this method.
Understanding the rheological (deformation and flow
of matter) dynamics in liquid bridges is of fundamental
interest for many industrial and biological processes,
as well as medical diagnostic devices. For instance,
micro-Total Analysis Systems (-TAS) are expected
to enable on-site medical diagnosis techniques by
sampling minute amounts of blood and DNA. In this
technique, fluid manipulation is dominated by the
interface capillarity. With a stronger understanding of
the fundamentals of Marangoni phenomena, practical
use of thermocapillarity in microfluidics such as the
-TAS can be achieved.
Space station-inspired mWater app
identifies healthy water sources
What if that clear, sparkling stream coming from the
ground or a faucet were teeming with contaminants?
How would you know? Whether you live in some
remote region of Africa, a high rise in New York City
or aboard an orbiting laboratory in space, you need
reliable drinking water to survive. You now can check
the cleanliness of your water using the mWater app on
your mobile phone.
This handy tool, based in part on International Space
Station technology, provides a global resource
available for free download as an app or usable
via the Web browser version of the app on most
smartphones. Governments, health workers and the
public all can make use of mWater to record and share
water test results. During the first year of the beta
release of mWater, more than 1,000 users downloaded
it and mapped several thousand water sources.
John Feighery, mWater co-founder and former lead
engineer for air and water monitoring with NASA, was
Check the cleanliness of your
local water bodies using the
mWater app first developed
from technology proven on the
space station.

Screenshot of the global water source map people
can visit to find data uploaded by mWater users
across the globe.
Image credit: mWater
inspired by his work for the space station. There, he
and his team created efficient, mobile and ambient
testing techniques to test for contamination in
drinking water sources without the need for costly lab
equipment such as incubators. The resulting Microbial
Water Analysis Kit (MWAK)part of the environmental
monitoring Crew Health Care System Environmental
Health System (CHeCS EHS) suite aboard station
sparked Feigherys imagination, providing the basis
for the mWater testing of E. coli in 100-milliliter (3.38-
ounce) water samples.
One key innovation that came from NASA was
proving that these types of tests will work at near
ambient temperatures. Various studies have shown
that any temperature about 25 degrees Celsius (77
degrees Fahrenheit) will produce a result, whereas
traditional laboratory procedures call for incubation
at 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
This is very important for developing countries
because incubators are expensive and require reliable
electricity and can also easily break down. Since
many of the countries that suffer from poor access to
safe water are tropical, the tests can easily be done
by anyone at room temperature most any time of
theyear.
Hefting testing materials or expensive equipment to
test water sources is unrealistic, Feighery discovered
while volunteering with Engineers Without Borders in El
Salvador. Portable, inexpensive and effective, thats the
goal for technologies bound for the defined real estate
of the space station, but also for those needed in
remote or low-resource regions of the world. Low-cost
mWater test supplies cost users $5 per kit.
Combining his aerospace experience and philanthropic
passions, Feighery went to work with co-founders
Annie Feighery and Clayton Grassick on what
would become mWater. Following the 2011 Water
Hackthons, the mWater app was developed and later
improved upon through field testing sponsored by U.N.
Habitat. The app helps to simplify recording of water
quality results, mapping water sources and finding safe
water nearby.
The tests and app are both designed with ease of use
in mind. The user tests the water, allows the test to
incubate at ambient temperatures, photographs the
results to count the bacteria and finally uploads the
findings to the global water database. Ease of use was
key to Feigherys design goals.
Feigherys experience with writing crew procedures
at NASA influenced the design of the app. The app
is task-oriented and designed to require very little
training beyond following the procedure. In the future,
Feighery and his mWater team plan to introduce
checklists for each type of water test to further
improve ease of use and reduce the training needed
to perform field testing.
Test results upload to the cloud-based global water
database, using the phones Global Positioning System
to identify the exact location of the water source.
Each location gets a unique and permanent numeric
identifier for reference by those who visit the global
water source map for updates. Users can add new
water location points and input or update test results,
working within the open source sharing approach for
the health of the community.
Space-tested fluid flow concept
advances infectious disease diagnoses
A low-energy medical device that can diagnose
infectious diseases on-site may soon be operating
in remote areas of the world that have limited
access to power sources. With a reduced need for
energy and on-site diagnosis, less time would be
needed between identifying a disease and beginning
treatment for it.
The device that could quickly identify diseases like HIV/
AIDS or tuberculosis relies on a deeper understanding
of capillary flow. That deeper understanding is the
result of research conducted on the International
Space Station.
The Capillary Flow Experiment (CFE) was a suite of
fluid physics experiments conducted on the space
station by Dr. Mark Weislogel of Portland State
69
 While a primary focus of the CFE research was fluid
management in space where gravity is nearly absent,
Understanding capillary flow the basic principles of capillary flow can be used on
could change how fluid- Earth as well. The most direct applications for CFE
research are immediate design improvements for most
handling systems are designed life support equipment aboard spacecraft. In addition,
and operated in any number Weislogel believes that terrestrial applications will be
commercially viable, applying the unique results of
ofapplications. space station research.
Research in the microgravity environment of space is
once again contributing to work that impacts our lives
here on Earth. Much like it is with the medical device,
University in Oregon and assisted by researchers at this deeper understanding of capillary flow could
NASAs Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. change how fluid-handling systems are designed and
Capillary flow, also known as wicking, is the ability of operated in any number of applications.
a liquid to flow without the assistance of gravity and
other external forces. It even works in opposition to
those forces. Stick a straw into a glass of water; the
water will rise maybe a few millimeters in the straw
before you begin to drink through it. Or consider how
a paper towel will draw, or wick, liquid into it. In the
absence of gravity, the effect of capillary forces is
more dramatic. For example, the water would rise
and completely fill a straw before you begin to drink
through it.
CFE was a basic physics investigation that refined
our understanding of how capillary action helps fluids
flow. The principle has application in many fluid-
handling systems from fuel tanks to cooling systems to
medicaldevices.
Cell samples in the form of bodily fluids or blood are
placed in the CFE-studied medical device. Enzymes
burst the samples leaving behind DNA or RNA, which
is then captured on a bead that is processed by the
device to identify the infectious virus. Capillary flow is
used to manage and direct the flow of the cell samples
inside the device.
David Kelso, Ph.D., of Northwestern University in
Evanston, Illinois, developed the simple, inexpensive
device. Kelso and his team were using energy-
consuming items like batteries and motors to operate
the device, but when his designs did not work as
expected in the lab, Kelso turned to Weislogel. Kelso
explained that he and his team thought that gravity
would pull fluids through the device, but Weislogel had
the understanding that capillary action would do this
based on his previous work in microgravity. A view of Capillary Flow Experiment - 2 Interior
Corner Flow 3 vessels set up during an experiment
By relying on the principles of capillary flow, the device aboard the International Space Station. This study
uses much less energy and can provide medical looks at capillary flow in interior corners.
professionals with a valuable tool in areas with limited Image credit: NASA
resources. The device is scheduled for field testing in
late 2014.

70
Materials
The ISS provides a unique laboratory environment for the testing of new materials. In microgravity,
sedimentation and buoyancy-driven convection do not take place allowing us to witness how materials
change and develop over longer periods. This allows researchers to manipulate their materials in unique
ways. These opportunities are leading to a better understanding of how material processes work on
Earth thereby enabling the manufacturing of new materials with well-defined structures, improved
strength, and better function.
Improving semiconductors with
nanofibers
Nanotechnology involves materials at the atomic
and molecular level and holds great promise for a
wide range of applications, from telecommunications
and computing to health and medicine. But nano-
structured materials, especially those that can
self-assemble into organized patterns, have proven
difficult to control. Experiments on the International
Space Station (ISS) demonstrated a new process for
constructing materials that can arrange themselves
into structures just one atom thick (the nano scale).
The research paves the way for development of
fast, high-capacity computers and information
storagesystems.
Data from ISS for nano-
scale material assembly
will be applied in several
fields, including computers
and chemical catalysts for
industrial processes.
The 2-D Nano Template experiments were designed to
build a fine layer of material that can assemble by itself
into a very tight, repeating pattern. This pattern can be
used as a template for a focused beam of electrons.
The electron beam traces the template, carving out the
same pattern onto another surface.
The investigation used peptides, which are small
biological molecules made from amino acids, and
polymers, which are larger molecules made from
many smaller parts that repeat. Proteins are made
up of peptides, and DNA is an example of a polymer.
Binding together with water, the molecules would
form nanofibers, which would combine to create a
single array just one molecule thick. This ultra-thin
surface would be used as a masking layer for a tiny
semiconductorthe basis of a computer chip.
Investigators developed a simple way to induce
the peptides to bond, starting the process of self-
assembly. Microgravity provided a unique environment
for this process, because it was not interrupted by the
force of Earths gravity causing some of the molecules
to settle or clump together incorrectly.
After the samples were returned to Earth, researchers
studied them using a special microscope called an
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), which enables
a view of the atomic scale. The images showed
that fibers built on the ISS were greatly improved
compared to a sample grown on Earth. The space-
based sample also had a much more uniform pattern
because there were no excess molecules or particles
settling together.
The new, error-free, two-dimensional nanofiber layer
was then used as a template, which can be traced
like a blueprint to mark the processing surface of a
semiconductor. Investigators tested this in space
with a silicon carbide substrate. When they coated it
with the two-dimensional nano-patterned template, a
focused ion-beam followed the pattern and marked
it onto the silicon carbide material. This is a novel
process for creating a very specific, incredibly tight
pattern with less than 10 nanometers of spacing.
71
 AFM images of (left) long-range fiber obtained in the space experiment and (right) original fiber array obtained
in the ground experiment.
Image credit: JAXA/Nagoya Institute of Technology

Materials that can follow such a small-scale pattern
will be useful in several fields, including computers,
chemical catalysts for industrial processes, and even
super-water repellent substances. Thanks to space
station research, the cutting edge of nanotechnology is
sharper than ever.
InSPACEs big news in the nano world
A technology of tiny elements studied on the
International Space Station could have a big impact
on everything from braking systems and robotics to
earthquake-resistant bridges and buildings.
Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic
Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions (InSPACE) is a
set of experiments that gathered fundamental data
about Magnetorheological (MR) fluids. They are a type
of smart fluid that tends to self-assemble into shapes
when exposed to magnetic fields.
MR fluids change viscosity in a magnetic field and can
even be made to change their arrangement at the
nanoscale level, or one billionth of a meter. Such tiny
distances are typical for molecules and atoms.
When exposed to magnetic fields, MR fluids can
quickly transition into a nearly solid state. When the
magnetic field is removed, the MR fluids return to a
liquid state. This process produces useful viscoelastic
properties that can be harnessed for a variety of
mechanical devices, from robotic motions to strong
braking and clutch mechanisms. The process of
self-organization exhibited by MR fluids also could
have long-ranging consequences for the design and
manufacturing of a whole host of new nanomaterials
and nanotechnologies.
The Colloid Self Assembly set of experiments
conducted during InSPACE-3 looked at colloid
arrangement at a nanoscale using magnetic and
electric fields for development of nanomaterials. The
principal investigator for the study was Eric M. Furst,
Magnetorheological fluid
research in space could have
long-ranging consequences
for the design and
manufacturing of a whole host
of new nanomaterials and
nanotechnologies.

72
Ph.D., University of Delaware. His study goal was to
understand the fundamental science around directed
self-assembly to better define new methods of
manufacturing materials composed of small colloidal or
nanoparticle building blocks.
Colloids are tiny particles suspended in a solution.
They are critical to industrial processes as well as
household products such as lotions, medications
anddetergents.
InSPACE-3 is focused on oval- or ellipsoid-shaped
particles, as opposed to earlier InSPACE investigations
with MR fluids composed of round particles. These
oval- and ellipsoid-shaped particles were expected to
pack differently and form column-like structures in a
unique way, different from previous experiments. Par-
ticles of InSPACE-3 are made of a polystyrene material
embedded with tiny, nano-sized iron oxide particles.
When the fluid containing iron oxide is mixed, it has a
brownish, rusty hue. Astronauts, under the direction of
the project team, ran a series of experiments on this
rust-colored mixture.
Astronauts applied a magnetic field, which was pulsed
from a low frequency of around 0.66 hertz up to 20
hertz, or switched on and off, roughly one time per
second up to 20 times per second. Scientists were
looking for formation of structures that are at a lower-
energy state. Typically in an MR fluid application, a
constant field is applied, and the particles form a
gel-like structure. They dont pack very well, so the
particles have no definite form. They are like a cloud or
hot glass that can form into almost any shape.
In a pulsed field, the on-off magnetic field forces
the particles to assemble, disassemble, assemble,
disassemble and so on. In this pulsed field, the
particles organized into a more tightly packed, ordered
structure. Scientists could then measure and plot the
column growth over time.
The space stations microgravity environment was
critical to understanding the behavior of self-assembly
in toggled fields. Microgravity slows down the
movement of colloidal mixtures, allowing researchers
to understand how they interact and how to control
the tiny particles on the ground. You cannot do these
experiments on Earth because the nanoparticles would
settle out too quickly because of gravity.
At first, the particles in the fluid form long, thin chains.
As the magnetic field is applied, the magnetic dipoles
in the particles cause these singular chains to grow
parallel to the applied field. The chains parallel to each
other interact and bond together over time. These
bundles of chains become more like columns when
the magnetic field is toggled on and off. The columns
grow in diameter with time as they are exposed to a
pulsed, magnetic field. This self-directed bundling
was not observed until the InSPACE-2 investigation,
which ended in 2009.
When the InSPACE study began, it identified a pulsing
phenomenon that had never been seen before. Work
continued with InSPACE-2 and -3 investigations
to further observe how magnetic fields impact
colloidal, self-assembly phase transitions. By better
understanding how these fluids bundle themselves
into solid-like states in response to magnetic pulses,
researchers have insight into phase separation. This
may lead them to new nanomaterials from these tiny
building blocks for use on Earth.
With new manufacturing models resulting from
InSPACE -2 and -3 studies, these models could be
used to improve or develop active mechanical systems
such as new brake systems, seat suspensions, stress
transducers, robotics, rovers, airplane landing gears
and vibration damping systems. It also has promise
to engineer new nanomaterials for thermal barriers,
energy harvesting and color displays.
Thanks to the InSPACE series of investigations into
tiny things, fundamental science could advance these
systems and improve how we ride, drive, fly and live
in a big way.
Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic
Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions science
video image of aggregates (columns forming).
The black lines are the formed columns. The
green background is from a green LED lamp
used to provide lighting for the video camera.
Image credit: NASA
73
74
Satellites
The International Space Station (ISS) offers a unique platform for access to low-Earth orbit (LEO) through
its Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) airlock working in coordination with the JEM robotic arm. This
small airlock allows small devices such as CubeSats to be deployed into LEO while making the trip
up to space in the relative comfort of a pressurized cargo container. This can have many benefits in
reducing the cost to small satellite operators specifically in the number of launch testing and redundancy
requirements for the developer. Lower cost leads to more financial incentive to enable small operators to
design and prove out their technology in space.

Deploying small satellites from ISS

Traditional satellites require complex systems and
often, the resources of a dedicated launch vehicle
to find their way into orbit. However, with some help
from the International Space Station, a new class
of small satellites is changing the model for how we JEMRMS
launch new technologies into space. CubeSats, small,
less than 50 centimeter and mostly 10 centimeter Ejected Satellites
(4 inch) cubic satellites, have an alternative way of
being deployed. Some are deployed into orbit from
the space station using a robotic arm. The satellites
are transported to station in soft-sided bags by cargo
Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)
ships such as Japans H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV). And
at an appropriate time later, the satellites are taken out
from the stations cabin, and the Japanese Experiment
Module (JEM) Robotic Manipulator System (JEMRMS) Japanese Experiment Module Robotic Manipulator
System satellites are deployed into orbit.
aims the satellites at their planned orbits and releases
them. The JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer, an Image credit: JAXA
ejecting system for small satellites, was developed
byJAXA.
In the past, small satellites of a certain class have been
launched by rockets as piggyback satellites. When
a rocket can launch extra weight other than its main the rocket and are thrown into the orbit after the main
satellite, piggyback satellites are given their seats in satellite is successfully deployed. The advantages of
launching satellites from the space station by robotic
arm compared to piggyback on a rocket include the
option to choose the best timing of the small satellites
ejection without affecting the main satellites timing.
Developers of small satellites With limited space for small satellites to piggyback on
rockets, the space station provides the additional ben-
have increased their use efit of having regularly scheduled cargo resupply flights
of space station deployers on which the small satellites can more readily travel.

affording non-traditional Any satellite must pass space environment tests

to confirm that the satellite will survive the harsh
users access to space. environment during launch and its operational period in
space. Among these, the vibration test that simulates

75
 developers, such as college students, cannot afford to
use expensive aerospace-rated electric parts to pass
the vibration test.
An additional benefit to space station deployment of
CubeSats is that after the CubeSats launch to space,
astronauts aboard the orbiting outpost can perform
quality checks on the hardware to ensure the small
satellites are not damaged before deploying into
space. One of the difficulties of developing free-flying
satellites is that once they are launched, it is uncertain
whether the satellite is still in good working order after
enduring the launch vibration. With space station
deployment, there is still opportunity to check out
satellite systems and intervene before it deploys. This
can allow designers to choose electric parts without
Satellite packed in a soft-sided bag. the traditional space ratings, which can lower the
Image credit: JAXA total cost of development and expedite new space-
qualified technology.
In order to launch a small satellite into orbit using
the JEMRMS, first the space station cargo supply
spacecraft, such as the HTV, delivers the satellite in a
Cargo Transfer Bag. The satellites are stored in Cargo
Transfer Bags in the space station cabin until time

Crew in the International Space Station install a

satellite onto the Japanese Experiment Module
airlock table.
Image credit: JAXA

vibrations experienced during launch, subjects the

satellite to a rigorous level of agitation. Piggyback
satellites are required to pass this test because they
are installed in the same area as the main satellite. By
contrast, satellites deployed from the space station
are delivered by cargo spacecraft, where they are kept
in a soft bag and buffered with packing material. The FITSAT, one of the small satellites thrown into
vibration level they experience during launch to the orbit by Japanese Experiment Module Robotic
space station is less than that of piggyback satellites. Manipulator System.
The relaxation of the vibration condition can be game- Image credit: Fukuoka Institute of Technology
changing for small satellite developers because some

76
for deployment. Following the final satellite checkout,
the crew installs the small satellite into the JEM Small
Satellite Orbital Deployer and places it on the JEM
airlock table. Then, after the airlock is sealed, it opens
to allow the airlock table to slide out of the cabin of the
space station. The JEMRMS approaches the airlock
table and grapples the satellite ejector. Next, the
JEMRMS moves the satellite in the ejector into position
for deployment into orbit. JEMRMS holds the specified
attitude aiming at the satellites orbit. Finally, ground
operators send the command to the ejector to release
the satellite.
In summary, introduction of this new method of satellite
ejection using the JEM facility achieves the advantages
of providing more frequent opportunities for small
satellite deployment in low-Earth orbit, lowering the
vibration test hurdles and providing the opportunity for
a final checkout of the satellite before use.
As a result of the use of the space station, potential
developers of small satellites have increased their
use of the space station deployers, and universities,
companies and other non-traditional space users are
finding affordable access to space.
Pinpointing time and location
Lost phones and running late for appointments
could become a thing of the past thanks to benefits
originating from technology tested aboard the
International Space Station. The Global Transmission
Services 2 (GTS-2) experiment demonstrated that
radio transmissions could be used to synchronize
Earth-based clocks and watches and, eventually, to
locate stolen cars and deactivate lost credit cards
directly fromspace.
An antenna on the station currently transmits
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), also known as
Greenwich Mean Time. These transmissions cover
almost the entire Earth and can be received at a
Global Transmission Services
technologies can function as
theft protection by shutting
down stolen vehicles, making
them unusable.
Graphic of potential receivers for GTS signals from
the International Space Station.
Image credit: Steinbeis-Transferzentrum Raumfahrt
particular location several times daily. The signal is
strong enough to be received even by small wrist
watches, and transmits accurate local time for
different time zones, even taking into account daylight
saving time. A unique code for each ground receiver
verifies the authenticity of data and guarantees
its secure transmission. Watches and clocks can
automatically synchronize with these signals through
receivers typically activated once per day or when the
devices are turned on.
The GTS can function as theft protection by sending
a message to a receiver chip in an electronic device
such as a phone, car, or car key that shuts down the
device. Even someone with an authentic key would not
be able to steal the car to which it goes, because the
signal makes the key unusable. That could reduce theft
of car keys directly from drivers, which can sometimes
turn violent.
The system also may be able to help deter theft of
larger mobile items, such as shipping containers and
truck trailers, by pinpointing their exact locations.
In addition to accurate setting of clocks and theft
protection, other possible applications of the system
include paging services, targeted broadcast of
messages such as automobile recalls, remote control
of various devices, container tracking and fleet-
management services.
The systems ground receivers are capable of
accurately determining the position of the space
station based on its transmission of signals. This ability
77

Orbit altitude and inclination of mobile radio
satellite constellations and their relative signal
strengths compared to that of the International
Space Station.
Image credit: ESA
could be used in reverse to determine the location
of a receiver from the station, a capability that one
day might enable an orbiting spacecraft to navigate a
ground vehicle on a planet below.
Using the space station for these global transmission
applications offers several advantages over the
use of other satellites. Because of the stations low
orbit, every point between 70 degrees north and 70
degrees south latitudemost of the populated areas
on Earthcan receive signals five to seven times a
day. The transmissions also can be sent using very
little power. Finally, because the station is manned,
astronauts can exchange and maintain the device
asneeded.
The GTS experiment is supported by the company
Fortis Swiss Watches, the German Aerospace Center
(DLR), and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Steinbeis Transfer-zentrum Raumfahrt provided
experiment management, development and operation.
The antenna unit was mounted on the Russian Service
Module in December 1998, carried into space summer
of 2000, and began operations in 2002, making this
experiment one of the oldest aboard the station.
Integration, launch and operation of GTS are now a
cooperative undertaking with the Russian Institute of
Applied Mathematics through the Russian Federal
78
Space Agency (Roscosmos) and ESAs program of
joint scientific investigations and experiments aboard
the space station until 2020.
Space station technology demonstration
could boost a new era of satellite-
servicing
It may be called the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM),
but NASAs RRM was built to demonstrate much more
than the clever ways space robots can refuel satellites.
Following the success of this namesake task, RRM will
demonstrate how space robots can replenish cryogen
(a type of refrigerant) in the instruments of legacy
satellitesexisting, orbiting spacecraft not originally
designed to be serviced.
Remote refueling and robotics
technology uses the space
station as a test bed for
technology research and
development.
Delivery to Space Station and Installation
New hardware deliveries to the space station help to
outfit the RRM module for the new set of operations.
A new task board and the RRM On-Orbit Transfer
Cage (ROTC), an original device designed to transfer
hardware outside the space station, are added to the
RRM module to produce the increased capabilities.
Astronauts mount the ROTC on the sliding table within
the Japanese airlock and then install the task board
onto the ROTC, giving the Canadian Dextre robot an
easy platform from which to retrieve and subsequently
install new hardware.
A second task board and a new device called the
Visual Inspection Poseable Invertebrate Robot (VIPIR)
are also added to the RRM module. This borescope
inspection tool, built at the Satellite Servicing
Capabilities Office (SSCO) at NASAs Goddard Space
Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides a set
of eyes for internal satellite repair jobs. Both items are
transferred and installed on RRM via the Japanese
airlock, ROTC and Dextre.

The Robotic Refueling Mission investigation
(center, on platform) uses Canadarm2, the
International Space Stations robot arm, and the
Canadian Dextre robot (right) to demonstrate
satellite-servicing tasks.
Image credit: NASA
With the help of the twin-armed Dextre robot, the
additional RRM task boards and the RRM tools, the
RRM team works its way through intermediate steps
leading up to cryogen replenishment. After retrofitting
valves with new hardware, peering into dark places
with the aid of VIPIR and creating a pressure-tight
seal, the RRM and Dextre duo will stop short of actual
cryogen transfer for this round of tasks.
RRM Phase 2 operations are scheduled to begin
in 2014. Initial activities to demonstrate this in-orbit
capabilitycutting wires and removing capswere
completed in 2012 with the aid of the original RRM
tools and activity boards.
Expanding Capabilities and Fleet Flexibility
inSpace
Cryogenic fluids are used on the ground and in space
to make very sensitive cameras work better. However,
in time, this extremely cold substance leaks out, and
the camera no longer performs well. According to
Benjamin Reed, deputy project manager of the SSCO,
robotically replenishing these reserves would allow
spacecraft instruments to last beyond their expiration
date and ultimately permit satellites to perform longer.
Reed explains that both the government and
commercial sectors are focused on expanding options
for fleet operators. Operators can choose to extend
the life of an aging observatory or spacecraft by use
of a future cryogen-toting space tanker, instead of
retiring or launching a new, costly one. The RRM
demonstrations are an important step to eventually
enabling thatcapability.
Preparing for a Servicing-Enabled Future
With the 2011 launch to the space station on the
last space shuttle mission, RRM has been steadily
practicing robotic satellite-servicing activities in
orbit. RRM uses the space station as a test bed for
technology research and development in a joint effort
with the Canadian Space Agency.
NASA developed RRM to demonstrate how remotely
operated robot mechanics could extend the lives of
the hundreds of satellites residing in geosynchronous-
Earth orbit (GEO). Costly assets traveling about
22,000 miles above Earth, GEO spacecraft deliver
such essential services as weather reports, cell phone
communications, television broadcasts, government
communications and air traffic management. Servicing
capabilities could greatly expand the options for
government and commercial fleet operators in the
future. They could potentially deliver satellite owners
significant savings in spacecraft replacement and
launch costs.
NASA continues to test capabilities for a new
robotic servicing frontier. In conjunction with RRM,
the SSCO team has been studying a conceptual
servicing mission while building the necessary
technologies, including an autonomous rendezvous
and capture system, a propellant transfer system and
specialized algorithms to orchestrate and synchronize
satellite-servicingoperations.
79
80
Transportation Technology
Combustion science is one of the longest running fields of research on the International Space Station
(ISS). There is a long running campaign to understand just how both simple and more complex fuels
burn in space. Understanding this process in microgravity helps us refine combustion models on Earth
where gravity and turbulent buoyancy-driven convection flows make this process too difficult to model.
Recent observations on ISS have shown that a phenomenon known as cool flames can be witnessed
in the combustion chambers in orbit to understand how lower temperature burning could have
significant applications towards more efficient fuel use and new combustion engine designs in the future.

Cool flame research aboard space
station may lead to a cleaner
environment on Earth
The anxious moments of trying to make the next
service station, one eye on the fuel gauge, the low-fuel
light staring at you, may become less frequent in the
future. Even the choice of which fuel is better for the
environment may be easier, thanks to droplet combus-
tion research on the International Space Station; better
mileage and a very real possibility of reduced pollution
on Earth may be possible in the future.
Thanks to the FLEX
investigation in the reduced
gravity environment of the
space station, we have new
insight into the mysteries of
flames andfuel.
Researchers from academia working with NASAs
Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, conducted
the Flame Extinguishing Experiments (FLEX and
FLEX 2), which revealed some new insights into how
fuelburns.
Led by principal investigator (PI) Forman Williams
of the University of California, San Diego, who has
studied combustion for more than 50 years, and co-PI
Vedha Nayagam of Case Western Reserve University,
Cleveland, Ohio, the results of the FLEX investigations
revealed a never-before-seen, two-stage burning
event. While a heptane droplet of fuel appeared to
extinguish, it actually continued to burn without a
visible flame. This knowledge could contribute to
reduced pollution and better mileage in engine design
because of improved prediction of flame behavior
during combustion.
After decades of flame studies that have produced
well-understood, theoretical models and numerical
simulations, the FLEX flame investigations in
microgravity produced this unexpected result. This is
the first time scientists have observed large droplets
(about three millimeters) of heptane fuel that had dual
modes of combustion and extinction. The fire went
out twice, once with and once without a visible flame.
While the initial burn had a traditional hot flame, the
second-stage vaporization was sustained by what is
known as cool-flame, chemical heat release.
A cool flame is one that burns at about 600 degrees
Celsius. To understand how cool this is, consider that
a typical candle is about two-and-a-half times hotter,
burning at around 1,400 degrees Celsius.
The phenomenon of the continued burning of heptane
droplets after flame extinction in certain conditions
was not anticipated when the study was designed.
This result came during the FLEX investigation on the
space station using the Multi-User Droplet Combustion
Apparatus in the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR).
More recent FLEX experiments reveal similar two-stage
burning phenomena with n-octane and decane fuels.
While burning the heptane droplets in the CIR, the
first stage had a visible flame that eventually went

81
out. Once the visible flame disappeared, the heptane
droplet continued rapid quasi-steady vaporization
without any visible flame. This ended abruptly at a
point called second-stage extinction. At this point, a
smaller droplet was left behind that either experienced
normal, time-dependent evaporation or sometimes
grew slightly through condensation of vapor in the
cloud that formed upon extinction.
The new findings have been published and are
available online in Combustion and Flame, the journal
of the Combustion Institute. This new discovery
will help scientists and engineers modify numerical
models and better predict the behavior of flames,
fuel and combustion. It also has many long-term
implications both in space and on Earth. These
findings can help with development of new technology
to reduce pollution and increase gas mileage in internal
A burning heptane droplet during the Flame
combustion engines. Cool flame burning could also be
Extinguishing Experiments investigation on the
used to partially oxidize the fuel for use in burners with
International Space Station.
reduced emissions and better control.
Image credit: NASA
The Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition
(HCCI) engine combines diesel ignition with spark-
ignition and can be used in any diesel engine, either
stationary or for transportation. By merging these two
technologies, engines could have the efficiency of
burning diesel, while also providing reduced particulate
and nitrogen oxide emissions. This could eliminate the
need to burn diesel-fuel sprays, which are notorious for
pollutant production, according to the researchers.
Thanks to the FLEX investigation in the reduced
gravity environment of the space station, we have new
insight into the mysteries of flames and fuel. Whether
its a candle, a campfire, or some other fuel source,
the combustion process may be waiting for the right
investigation to pry loose more secrets. Microgravity
research may prove to be the tool that helps force
those secrets free.

82
Robotics
Key to enhancing human spaceflight missions is the ability of robots to work alongside the human crew
to perform necessary tasks more efficiently. These tasks include those that are monotonous or risky
and impose on the available time astronauts have to focus on science experiments. The International
Space Station provides an excellent platform where these operational concepts and procedures can
be developed, tested and evolved in an actual space environment while demonstrating robotic systems
performance and reliability over the long duration. The precision and reliability requirements for space
robotics led to dual-purpose technologies and advanced robotic capabilities for use on Earth.

Robonauts potential shines in
multiple space, medical and
industrial applications
When scientists and engineers began developing
Robonaut, a first humanoid robot for space
exploration, they set out to create robotic capabilities
for space exploration, but did not limit their design just
for use in microgravity. Instead, they decided to lend a
robotic hand, along with many other appendages and
abilities, to those in need on Earth.
Technologies developed for
gloves, walking and telemedi-
cine for Robonaut are being
adapted for use on Earth.
The first Robonaut was a collaborative effort between
NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency. Though it was built for space exploration
missions like performing skilled hand movements
during Extravehicular Activity (EVA), or spacewalks,
NASA has since gained significant expertise in
expanding robotic technologies for space and
Earth applications through successful creation of
partnerships with outside organizations.
The latest iteration of Robonaut, Robonaut 2 (R2), was
co-developed with General Motors (GM) through a
Space Act Agreement. R2 is a faster, more dexterous
robot, built for the microgravity environment to utilize
human rated tools, assist with International Space
Station activities and safely work side by side with
astronauts. While R2 resides aboard the space station,
many of the technologies developed for Robonaut and
R2 are being adapted for use on Earth. Here are three
examples:
Robo-Glove Technology
One of these, a robotic glove, or the RoboGlove,
was developed as a grasp assist device after NASA
and GM realized there was overlap between what
astronauts needed in space and what factory workers
could use on the ground. The RoboGlove can augment
human tendons to help both astronauts and factory
workers with grasping tasks and potentially minimize
the risk of repetitive stress injuries.
Since astronauts wear pressurized spacesuit gloves
during a spacewalk, they are exerting more force to
hold a tool or tighten a screw, causing fatigue. The
RoboGlove could help astronauts close their gloves
and reduce the amount of effort they apply while
conducting EVA tasks, much like the way power
steering helps to steer a car.
At GM, factory workers on assembly lines are
performing tasks like gripping tools repeatedly
throughout their work day. These individuals are tiring
more quickly during the day by either exerting a high
amount of force at multiple intervals or exerting force
for long periods of time. The RoboGlove may help
the factory workers to grip a tool longer with less
discomfort by reducing the amount of force that they
need to exert. This could result in less fatigue and
fewer stress injuries.

83

The Robo-Glove was built through the continuing
partnership between NASA and General Motors.
It uses R2 technology to decrease fatigue and
stress when a human grasps an object.
Image credit: NASA
NASA and GM are working to find a supplier to
make the patented RoboGlove. GM plans to use the
glove technology in future advanced vehicle safety
systems and manufacturing plant applications. NASA
is experimenting with the technology in their Earth
laboratory and integrating it into a working spacesuit
glove for possible future use by crew members.
The RoboGlove also generates interest from the
medical community. For instance, patients in
rehabilitation may benefit from a device that helps them
to recover their skills for grasping objects. Another
potential application involves an adapted glove that
could both open and close to help patients recovering
from brain injury. NASA engineers have explored
84
ways to adapt the glove for people with partial hand
amputations, as well. A future partnership with a
medical center or research institution could expand
the technology of RoboGlove to medical settings, in
addition to its use for space exploration and factory
work at GM.
Robotic Exoskeleton
NASA and The Florida Institute for Human and
Machine Cognition (IHMC), with the help of engineers
from Oceaneering Space Systems of Houston, have
jointly developed a robotic exoskeleton called X1. The
X1 technology, derived from R2, may someday help
astronauts stay healthier in space with the added
benefit of assisting people with physical disabilities
onEarth.
Currently in the research and development phase,
X1 is a 57-pound robotic device that a human could
wear over his or her body either to assist or inhibit
movement in leg joints. Worn over the legs with a
harness that extends up the back and around the
shoulders, X1 has 10 degrees of freedom, or joints
four motorized joints at the hips and knees, and six
passive joints that allow for sidestepping, turning and
pointing, and flexing a foot.
Employing IHMCs experience in exoskeleton
development for paraplegics, NASA and IHMC
streamlined R2 arm technology. They made it slim
enough to allow a person in a wheelchair to get out
using the exoskeleton. The X1 device has the potential
to produce enough force to allow for assisted walking
over varied terrain to paraplegics or other patients in
rehabilitation settings.
In addition to the IHMC and NASA applications of
the X1 technology, researchers at the University of
Houston (UH) are working to adapt an exoskeleton
so it is controlled by brain signals. This type of
exoskeleton would attach a device to a persons head
and try to read signals that the brain sends to the legs
to get them to move.
Telemedicine Applications
The Houston Methodist Research Institute (HMRI)
and NASA worked together to adapt some of the
technology used by R2 in space and on the ground.
The research team tested R2 for use in telemedicine,
conducting medical procedures through electronic
communication by tasking R2 to perform an ultrasound
scan of a medical mannequin and to use a syringe as
part of a procedure.
 Watch these videos to learn more:
Robo-Glove Technology:
http://tinyurl.com/nasa-robo-glove
Exoskeleton Technology Applications:
http://tinyurl.com/nasa-exoskeleton-tech
Robonauts Telemedicine Initiatives:
http://tinyurl.com/robonaut-telemedicine

NASA Project Engineer Shelley Rea demonstrates

the X1 Robotic Exoskeleton, which could improve
the mobility and strength of astronauts and
paraplegics.
Image credit: NASA

With human control of the teleoperated R2, tasks were

performed with accuracy and efficiency using R2s
dexterity to apply the appropriate level of force and
monitoring progress through R2s vision system. This
demonstration of R2s capabilities could potentially
allow physicians to conduct complex medical
procedures on humans in remote locations on Earth or
inspace.
NASAs Space Technology Program is developing,
testing and applying robotic technologies through
innovative partnerships. They continue to look for new
collaborative opportunities to leverage resources that
will help all partners to increase their chances of mak-
ing better products, as demonstrated by the numerous
current applications of the R2 technology. Furthermore,
using the International Space Station as a test bed for
these robotic and future technologies will be vital to
human exploration and beneficial to human health.

85
Student inspired by the ISS and the future of space exploration.
Image credit: NASA
86
Global
Education

The International Space Station has a unique ability to capture the imaginations of both students and
teachers worldwide. The presence of humans aboard the station provides a foundation for numerous
educational activities aimed at capturing interest and motivating children towards the study of science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Projects such as the Amateur Radio on International
Space Station (ARISS); Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM); and
Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Zero Robotics
competition, among others, have allowed for global student, teacher and public access to space
through student image acquisition and radio contacts with crew members. Projects like these and their
accompanying educational materials are distributed to students around the world. Through the continued
use of the station, we will challenge and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, writers,
artists, politicians and explorers.

87
88
Inspiring the next generation of students
with the International Space Station
In the 1960s, the innovators responsible for missions
to the moon inspired homemade space helmets
and backyard bottle rockets that sent toy soldiers
a bit shy of low-Earth orbit. The innovations of the
International Space Station (ISS), however, provide
a more direct approach to opportunities for the next
generation as they watch, learn and even participate in
todaysmissions.
ISS provides hands-on
educational opportunities that
encourage students to go
beyond passive learning.
ISS Chief Scientist Julie Robinson engages students in International Space Station education activities.
Image credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
For more than a decade, the space station has
provided hands-on educational opportunities that
encourage students to go beyond passive learning,
engaging them as interactive participants. In 2012,
NASA published Inspiring the Next Generation:
International Space Station Education Opportunities
and Accomplishments, 2000-2012, which compiles
these events to share with the public.
From 2000 through 2012, there have been more than
42 million students, 2.8 million teachers and 25,000
schools from 44 countries involved in education
activities aboard the space station.
The publication was an international effort that
details opportunities available today for students
and summarizes those already completed. The
comprehensive account includes education projects
led by all the space station partners: NASA, the
Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency,
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Russian
Federal Space Agency.
89
Competitive student opportunities leverage real
research to explain the depths of the scientific
process; for instance, the Synchronized Position Hold,
Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES)
ZeroRobotics challenge focuses on software
programming skill development to guide robots
through a virtual obstacle course aboard the space
station. There are also contests that allow students
to have their experiments performed in orbit, such
as those proposed for Try ZeroG and the YouTube
SpaceLab competitions, which were implemented on
the space station in 2012. An inquiry-based approach
to learning engages students and their communities,
enabling them to contribute to the growing knowledge
gained from research done aboard station.
These types of activities involve an investigative Students from Charminade College Preparatory,
approach to learning and allows students to West Hills, California, run preliminary variations of
understand the true nature of science; gain in-depth their experiment in the lab.
knowledge of scientific concepts, laws, and theories; Image credit: Student Spaceflight Experiment
and develop interests, attitudes and habits of mind Program
related to science and mathematics.
Other opportunities for station interaction include
question-and-answer sessions via the Amateur Radio
on the International Space Station (ARISS), which lets
students contact astronauts on the station via ham
radio. In-flight education downlink sessions through the
NASA Education Office also enable student-crew com-
munications, using live video feeds so communities
can see the astronauts while speaking with them.
There are growing commercial opportunities, such
as the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program
in coordination with NanoRacks. This program
provides opportunities for elementary and middle
school students to propose and launch their own
investigations to the space station.
The education publication is available in both hardcopy
and through download via the International Space
Station Research and Technology website at http://
www.nasa.gov/iss-science.

90
Inquiry-based Learning
From the launch of the first modules of ISS into orbit, students have been provided with a unique
opportunity to get involved and participate in science and engineering projects. Many of these
projects support inquiry-based learningan approach to science education that allows students to
ask questions, develop hypothesis-derived experiments, obtain supporting evidence, analyze data,
and identify solutions or explanations. This approach to learning is well-published as one of the most
effective ways to engage students to pursue careers in scientific and technology fields.

Student scientists receive unexpected

results from research in space
YouTube is a great place to find bloopers, snuggly
kitten or music videos. Now, its also a place to post
grand ideas for microgravity research studies. Two
of those ideas actually got to fly on the International
Space Station. The YouTube Space Lab competition
provided such an opportunity, and three students
saw their research performed aboard the orbiting
laboratory.

The YouTube Space Lab

competition motivated
thousands and selected three Dorothy Chen, YouTube Space Lab winner,
presents findings from her study on the anti-
14- to 15-year-old students to fungal properties of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis
fly their microgravity research in space at the 2013 International Space Station
Research and Development Conference.
ideas on ISS. Image credit: Center for the Advancement of
Science in Space

For then-high school students Dorothy Chen and

Sara Ma of Troy, Michigan, and Amr Mohamed of
Alexandria, Egypt, the sky no longer is the limit for
their research questions. Chen, Ma and Mohamed
completed research investigations as winners of the
YouTube Space Lab global contest. The competition
invited 14- to 18-year-old students to submit two-min-
ute videos via YouTube to propose physics or biology
investigations for astronauts to perform aboard the
space station. Their research was chosen out of more
than 2,000 entries received from around the world.
The two winning studies looked at the anti-fungal
properties of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis)
in microgravity, and the predatory behavior of Salticus
scenicus and Phiddipus johnsoni, also known as
a zebra jumping spider and a red-backed jumping
spider, respectively. The results they received from their
research informed them that microgravity can be a wily
participant in a research study held in space aboard an
orbiting laboratory.
Chen and Ma hypothesized that B. subtilis, a naturally
occurring bacteria commonly used as an anti-fungal
agent for agricultural crops, would have increased
anti-fungal properties when grown in microgravity
compared to the same bacteria produced on Earth.

91
Their testing also added phosphates and nitrates to
the B. subtilis nutrient source to see if the additives
affected growth and anti-fungal strength. The phos-
phates and nitrates acted as nutrients to potentially
boost growth of the bacteria. The outcome of their
investigation aboard the space station showed that
the least amount of growth in the bacteria occurred
in microgravity as compared to bacteria produced on
Earth. They found that microgravity had no effect on
the degree to which phosphates and nitrates affect
B.subtilis growth.
Mohamed, now a college student in California, was
excited about seeing his zebra jumping spider research
in action while talking with Astronaut Sunita Williams
inorbit.
Europes alliance with space droids
Between video games and sci-fi movies, a group
of young students find time for a robotic squadron
of miniature satellites that come to life aboard the
International Space Station, obeying their commands.
High school students compete
to program ISS droids and
build critical engineering skills.
The three Synchronized Position Hold, Engage,
Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHEREs) on the
space station are considered facilities. Two are
used for Zero Robotics.
Image credit: NASA
92
The European Space Agency (ESA) is participating
in the NASA, Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA), and Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) Zero Robotics competition (http://
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/
experiments/690.html). The competition is a chance
for high school students to program droids for action
on the space station. Synchronized Position Hold,
Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHEREs)
are volleyball-sized satellites with their own power,
propulsion, computers and navigation.
The challenge to remotely control them began in the
United States, where an adventurous professor from
MIT found inspiration in the Star Wars saga to create
these intriguing robots. The mini-spacecraft have been
used inside the station since 2006 to test autonomous
rendezvous and docking maneuvers.
Now formation flying in zero gravity is a programming
issue for European students, also. A number of
schools from ESA member states create rival programs
that control three SPHERES in real-time on the space
station. A local SPHERES expert, familiar with the
coding requirements for the droids, is assigned to
each European school. Sponsored by ESA, several
university staff members are being trained at MIT.
The competition is not only about feeding the satellites
sets of commands; the local experts help students
build critical engineering skills, such as problem
solving, design thought process, operations training,
and teamwork. Their results could lead to important
Students participate in Synchronized Position Hold,
Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES)
Zero Robotics.
Image credit: ESA
advances for satellite servicing and vehicle assembly
inorbit.
Teams in the U.S. and in Europe test their algorithms
under realistic microgravity conditions by competing
in elimination rounds against each other with finals on
both sides of the Atlantic.
The winners software is uploaded and run in the three
weightless SPHERES by astronauts on the station.
The exciting final is streamed live at ESAs technology
center in the Netherlands, European Space Research
and Technology Center (ESTEC), and MIT.
Europes alliance with the space droids is stronger
than ever. The competition has given hundreds of
high school students from across Europe and the
United States the opportunity to operate droids in
space by coding software. The success of the first
rounds consolidates the station as a common scientific
platform for students. They are embarking on a robotic
future, and may the force be with them!
NASA has a HUNCH about student
success in engineering
Several young science, technology, engineering and
mathematics professionals entering the workforce right
now are likely to have been motivated to enter those
fields by the High school students United with NASA
to Create Hardware (HUNCH) Program. HUNCH is a
nationwide instructional partnership between NASA,
Students build cost-effective
hardware and soft goods for
use on the ISS, launching
careers and saving money for
spaceflight programs.

European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli observes a can crusher, built by students in the High school
students United with NASA to Create Hardware Program, during Expedition 26 aboard the International
SpaceStation.
Image credit: NASA

93

Students from Cypress Ranch High School,
Cypress, Texas, present mockup hardware to
staff at NASAs Johnson Space Center built for
NASA training programs as part of the High
school students United with NASA to Create
Hardware Program.
Image credit: NASA
high school and intermediate/middle school students
to build cost-effective hardware and soft goods both
for use on the International Space Station and for
training of NASA astronauts and flight controllers.
With more than 11 years in existence, the popularity
of HUNCH has grown to include 1,750 students in 77
schools across 24 different states. Trainees receive
a hands-on opportunity that helps them strengthen
their skills in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM).
Students that participate in HUNCH learn to use and
apply 3-D software, drafting, prototyping, welding,
basic architecture, critical-thinking and problem-solving
skills. NASA provides materials, equipment, mentoring
and inspection oversight during the fabrication of these
items. While students are building items for NASA, they
are also building their self-confidence and interest as
researchers.
To date, HUNCH participants have produced single-
stowage lockers, cargo transfer bags, educational
videos and experiments proposed to fly on the space
station. Some standout projects include the design
and fabrication of a disposable, collapsible glove
box; an organizer for crew quarters on the space
station; and a European Physiology Modules Rack
trainer, which provides facilities for human physiology
research. Since the beginning of HUNCH in 2003,
hundreds of items for NASA have been produced.
94
In a culmination of skills learned as part of the HUNCH
program, two students from Cypress Woods High
School in Texas, Robert Lipham and Alie Derkowski,
were selected to attend the Technology Student
Association (TSA) National Competition in Orlando,
Fla., to present the skills they acquired while building
Microgravity Science Glove Box (MSG) trainers
for NASA. HUNCH paired with the Center for the
Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to provide
funding for the students to showcase their engineering
educationendeavors.
Design updates made by the Lipham and Derkowski
saved NASA money by streamlining the MSG trainers,
which are mockups of space hardware for crew mis-
sion preparation. When the idea to create these items
came to HUNCH, the cost estimate was $1 million for
four MSG high-fidelity trainers. HUNCH provided NASA
five MSG trainers for less than $250,000.
Every year, recognition ceremonies are held for all stu-
dents and teachers that participate in the HUNCH pro-
gram. The number of participants continues to grow
annually, as well as the quality, quantity, and diversity
of the products that students fabricate. While the
recognition ceremonies recognize student work, they
also acknowledge the educational benefits of NASA
teaming up with students. This is often measured by
the changes in the students attitudes toward their own
self-assurance and desire to enter STEM careers.
HUNCH is an innovative solution for inspiring the next
generation of researchers and space explorers while
providing money-savings and resource efficiencies
for NASA. Schools can get involved through online
application on the HUNCH website at http://www.
nasahunch.com/.
Tomatosphere: Sowing the seeds of
discovery through student science
Home base on the moon. Boot prints on Mars. Visits
to asteroids. With the worlds space-faring nations
looking beyond the International Space Station (ISS)
to envision human missions to increasingly distant
destinations, scientists have already begun to tackle
the many challenges of sending humans farther and
farther from our home planet. Missions to the ISS have
made substantial contributions to our knowledge of
how the human body adapts to microgravity for three,
six or even 12 months, but taking steps further out into
the solar system will require much longer expeditions.
A human mission to Mars, for instance, will likely mean
a six-month journey each way, coupled with a stay of
about 18 months on the surface of the planet!
 The award-winning
Tomatosphere educational
project has helped students
learn about science, space
exploration, agriculture and
nutrition.
Future crews on long-duration missions will need to be
self-sufficient to stay safe and healthy. Since carrying
two to three years worth of food would be expensive
and impractical, astronauts will have to grow their own
food en route to their destination. Space farming may
sound futuristic, but in the closed environment of a
spacecraft, plants could make a huge contribution to
life-support systems. Not only do plants provide food,
water and oxygen, they also recycle carbon dioxide
Grade 3 students measure their tomato plants as
part of the Tomatosphere experiment.
Image credit: Tomatosphere
Chris Hadfield, Canadian astronaut and former
commander of the International Space Station,
poses with 600,000 tomato seeds for the
Tomatosphere project, which returned to
Earth with Hadfield in May 2013 after orbiting
Earth for nine months aboard the station. The
seeds will be grown by 16,000 classrooms
in Canada and the U.S., a record number of
participants for the project.
Image credit: CSA, NASA
and waste. But how do you grow plants effectively
in the radiation-filled environment of space? Which
plants are best suited for space missions? What
type of seeds would be able to withstand the journey
and still germinate? What if we could recruit the next
generation of astronauts, scientists and engineers to
help solve the problem?
Since 2001, the award-winning Tomatosphere
educational project has done just that. An estimated 3
million students in Canada and the United States have
helped researchers gather data to address these ques-
tions, while learning about science, space exploration,
agriculture and nutrition. Tomatosphere provides
students with two sets of tomato seeds: one set that
has been exposed to space or space-simulated envi-
ronments as well as a control group for comparison.
Without knowing which set is which, students grow
the seedlings in their classrooms, measuring a variety
of information about the tomato plants, the germina-
tion rates, growth patterns and vigor of the seeds. This
methodology, known as a blind study, allows the
mystery of the project to be real science for the stu-
dents. Each class submits their results to the projects
website to be shared with scientists studying horticul-
ture and environmental biology.
95
The projects baseline experiment investigates the
germination rate of the seeds; however, supporting
materials have been developed to allow educators
from grades 3 to 10 to build on student understanding
of a variety of topics, from the science of plants to the
science of nutrition to the science of ecosystems.
Tomatospheres hands-on approach to learning
gives students a taste for science and space research.
In addition to being rewarded with their very own
space tomatoes to bring home, the students
participating in Tomatosphere today know that they
have each made a personal contribution to assisting
space exploration in the future. And perhaps one day,
an astronaut biting into a fresh, juicy tomato on the
surface of the Red Planet will thank them.
Tomatosphere is sponsored by the Heinz Canada,
HeinzSeed, Stokes Seeds, the University of Guelph,
Lets Talk Science, First the Seed Foundation and the
Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Students photograph Earth from space
via Sally Ride EarthKAM program
Sally Ride EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired
by Middle School Students) is a NASA educational
outreach program enabling students, teachers
and the public to become researchers, focused on
learning about Earth from the unique perspective of
space. During the Sally Ride EarthKAM missions,
middle school students around the world request
images of specific locations on Earth. The entire
collection of Sally Ride EarthKAM images is available
in a searchable image archive. This image collection
and accompanying learning guides and activities
are extraordinary resources to engage students in
Earth and space science, geography, social studies,
mathematics, communications, and art. Four missions
are offered per year.
Sally Ride EarthKAM uses a Nikon D2Xs digital camera
mounted in the Window Observational Research
Middle school students
track the orbit of the station,
reference maps and atlases,
and check the weather before
making an imagery request.
96
The above photo of The Bahamas is one of the
pictures taken during the 2013 spring mission.
Image credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM
Facility (WORF), which uses the science window
located in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory. This windows
high-quality optics capabilities allow the camera to
take high-resolution photographs of the Earth using
commands sent from the students via the online
program. Students and educators then use the photos
as supplements to standard course materials, offering
them an opportunity to participate in space missions
and various investigative projects. Creators of Sally
Ride EarthKAM hope that combining the excitement
of this space station experience with middle-school
education will inspire a new set of explorers, scientists
and engineers.
Students use Sally Ride EarthKAM to learn about
spacecraft orbits and Earth photography through the
active use of Web-based tools and resources. With
the help of their teachers, they identify a target location
and then must track the orbit of the station, reference
maps and atlases, and check the weather prior to
making their image request. These requests funnel to
another set of students, this time at the University of
California at San Diego. These college students run the
Sally Ride EarthKAM Mission Operations Center for the
project. Here they compile the requests into a camera
control file and, with the help of NASAs Johnson
Space Center, uplink the requests to a computer
aboard the space station.
Requests ultimately transmit to the digital camera,
which then takes the desired images and transfers
them back to the station computer for downlink to
Sally Ride EarthKAM computers on the ground. This
entire relay process is usually complete within a few
 Students from countries
across Asia compete to see
their microgravity experiments
conducted on ISS.

something that most 12-year-old girls rarely have to

think about. Lily was going to see her microgravity
experiment conducted on the International Space
Station (ISS) through a program called Try Zero Gravity
Two students from Good Shepherd School in (Try Zero G).
Alberta, Canada, participate in Sally Ride EarthKAM. Try Zero G is a program aimed at children and
Image credit: NASA educators to learn about ISS and its educational
experiments. In 2009, Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency (JAXA) started a domestic, micro-gravity
program, Try Zero G, using the Japanese Experiment
Module, Kibo. It is a brand new, innovative, educational
hours and the photos are available online for both the
program that gives the public the opportunity to
participating schools and for the public to enjoy.
participate in ISS experiments in Japan. This program
Sally Ride EarthKAM was initiated in 1995 and origi- has successfully stimulated public interest. A total of
nally called KidSat. The KidSat camera flew on three 1,597 ideas were submitted with the hope of being
space shuttle flights (STS 76, 81 and 86) to test its fea- implemented in 2009. Among those, 16 were selected,
sibility and was later moved to the International Space and the domestic Try Zero G idea was conducted by a
Station (ISS) and renamed ISS EarthKAM. In 2013, the Japanese astronaut and continued thereafter.
program was renamed once more; this time to Sally
With the belief that educational activities conducted
Ride EarthKAM to honor the late Dr. Sally K. Ride,
on ISS are a benefit for humanity, JAXA opened up
Americas first woman in space and the programs
creator. Dr. Ride passed away July 23, 2012.
Since its first space station expedition in March 2001
to the present, Sally Ride EarthKAM has touched the
lives of nearly 300,000 student participants and an
unknown number of online followers. The program
also has a strong international presence with users
from 74 countries to date. Interested viewers of Sally
Ride EarthKAM images and educators interested in
participating have the opportunity to register online at
https://earthkam.ucsd.edu/.

Try zero G 2: Igniting the passion of the

next generation in Asia
Twelve-year-old Lily Thornton sat with her mother in an
Australian airport getting ready to leave her homeland
for the first time while waiting to board a plane to Lily Thornton, age 12, of Australia at Tsukuba
Japan. Such a young girl could be quite nervous about Space Center, Japan Aeropsace Exploration
going to a completely different environment or the Agency (JAXA).
ensuing language barrier that she would face once Image credit: JAXA
she disembarked the plane, but Lily had on her mind

97
the Try Zero G program to Asian nations, implemented
from 2011 under the framework of the Asia-Pacific
Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF). The first
Try Zero G for Asian nations was announced in
APRSAF-17 in 2010 and 10 ideas from three countries
were submitted. Five ideas were conducted by JAXAs
astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and implemented on Sept.
22, 2011. The second Try Zero G was announced in
APRSAF-18 in Singapore right after the first Try Zero G
was conducted. The number of applications increased,
and JAXA received 127 applications from four
countries. Eight ideas were implemented by JAXAs
astronaut Akihiko Hoshide on Nov. 15, 2012. Every Try
Zero G, JAXA welcomes those whose ideas have been
selected to observe their experiments at the JAXA
facility in Tsukuba Space Center, Japan.
Lilys idea, Weight Station, observes the behavior
of a spring balance under microgravity. Having her
idea selected for the ISS experiment became big
news in Lilys small town and in her school in Victoria,
Australia. Once she heard of the opportunity to watch
the downlink in JAXAs facility, she wished to see her
experiment performed with her own eyes. Her school
and the whole town held fundraisers for her to earn
her travel expense to go to Japan to watch her dream
come true.
On Nov. 27, 2012, Lily and her mother, Elise Thornton,
were able to travel to Japan to visit JAXAs Tsukuba
Space Center. Together they toured the space center
and watched the downlinked video of Lilys experiment
conducted by astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. During
the tour, they had the opportunity to talk to the flight
director of the mission control room in Tsukuba Space
Center. The flight director talked about ISS and of
microgravity conditions. Lily and her mother listened
in rapt attention and had a chance to ask questions
further expanding their knowledge of ISS and
microgravity conditions. Lily found the tour enjoyable
and interesting. Elise said that Lily dreams of one day
becoming a space robotics engineer. We hope Lily
stays true to her dreams and realizes her efforts!

98
Inspiration
Conducting education activities is not the reason the space station was built, but the presence of
astronauts aboard the ISS serves as an inspiration to students and their teachers worldwide. Having the
opportunity to connect with crew members real-time, either through live downlinks or simply speaking
via a ham radio, ignites the imagination of students about space exploration and its application to the
fields of science, technology and engineering.

Asian students work with astronauts in They observed the growth of their plants to see if there
space missions was any difference between the ground and space
seedlings. Karen showed the seedlings in the box on
Methawi Chomthong of Mahidol Wittayanusorn School
a video camera. She then pulled out some seedlings
in Thailand plants chili seeds to observe how they
and examined how strong their stems were. The video
grow while Leonita Swandjaja of Bandung Institute
image of the operation was downlinked to the Tsukuba
of Technology in Indonesia distributes tomato seeds
Space Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency,
to primary school pupils. These are seeds that have
Japan. The ground staff observed the space seedlings
traveled in space and many students and pupils in the
as conveniently as if they were side by side with her.
Asia-Pacific region have enthusiastically planted and
These downlinked video images were distributed to
nurtured these space seeds. The Space Seeds for
the organizations participating in the SSAF2013 pro-
Asian Future (SSAF) (http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/kuoa/ssaf/) is
gram, and a timeline was set for showing the video to
a joint program run by space agencies and institutions
students, making them feel like they were working with
for science education in the region.
anastronaut.

Through collaboration with

astronauts, students compare
how seedlings in space look
different from those they grew
on the ground.

SSAF does more than simply sending seeds into

space and bringing them back to Earth. It requires
collaboration between astronauts and students on
the ground. In September 2013, astronaut Dr. Karen
Nyberg pulled out a box from a stowage rack in the
Japanese Experiment Module, Kibo, of the Interna-
tional Space Station. The box contained seedlings of
Azuki, small red beans, that grew seven days after
being watered and kept under dark conditions. In
parallel on the ground, students prepared their own
plant boxes and started cultivating their own seeds.
Students from Osaka City University, Osaka,
Japan, monitor the SSAF2013 experiment at
Tsukuba Space Center as members of the ground
crew, who have played an important role in
developing the experiment protocol and preparing
the plant materials.
Image credit: JAXA

99
In Malaysia, the National Space Agency (ANGKASA)
held a competition to help students develop their
skills in science research with SSAF2013. A total
of 79 teams, each consisting of five members from
25 primary schools and 54 secondary schools,
participated in the competition. In other countries,
including Australia, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand,
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, various age groups
of students and pupils learned the scientific method
through this experience. These young people play an
important role, not only in space technology, but also
in other fields of science and technology for the future
development of those areas.
ISS provides opportunities
to stimulate student interest
and participation in science,
technology, engineering, and
math (STEM).
Particularly at the Russian Segment of the International
space station (ISS RS) the space experiment Shadow-
beacon (SE) has been performing in series since 2011
for the scientific and educational purposes.
As an on-board radio beacon transmits VHF sounding
signals of a 145-megahertz range, ground participants
can register moments of signal appearance, follow the
signal until it vanishes using the time marks, and send
this information, along with data on its geographical
position, to the Information Storing Center on Earth.
Every operating sequence would take up to 20
minutes, while ISS is passing over the given continental
measuring field.

Malaysian students
set their experiment.
Image credit: MARA
Junior Science College,
Royal Malaysian Police, Kulim, Malaysia

The results showed that the seedlings in space looked

quite different from those on the ground. Students
understood the wonderful capability of such tiny seeds
by witnessing that they were able to adjust to various
gravitational conditions. Although stricter control
of experimental conditions is required for the more
involved science, the observations in SSAF2013 still
offer many hints to scientists who are developing their
new research projects.
A typical result of construction of International
Space Station experimental footprint contour
on the Earth surface in the azimuthal projection.
Educational benefits of the space European measuring field, 27.11.11. Current
experiment Shadow-beacon on ISS moment 05.02.23 UTC. Position of undersatellite
The use of spaceflight for stimulation of public point: Ukraine, latitude 50.45, longitude 26.54.
interest to advance science and education is a Image credit: FGUP TsNIIMash
common practice among the global space agencies.

100

Onboard Amateur radio equipment Sputnik.
Image credit: FGUP TsNIIMash
The data provides instant mutual position of the ISS,
and each receiver allows definition of experimental
borders of the stations footprint, i.e., illuminated spot
on the Earths surface. With many ground receivers,
Shadow-beacon simulates a multibeam method of
radio sounding of undersatellite space. Its basic prop-
erties are evaluated by comparing obtained experi-
mental and calculated contours of the ISS footprint.
Shadow-beacon is a developing methodology for
the future experiment Shadow, which will use radio
waves scattering in an artificial plasma.
Possible application of this radio-sounding method
is observation of interference in radio communication
caused by plasma plumes of perspective electric
thrusters, which are planned to be used for Martian
expeditions. Exclusive simplicity of the radio sounding
method allows the opportunity to carry out Shadow-
beacon by non-professional operators (radio amateurs)
and includes participation by educational programs.
Therefore, the goals and objectives of the SE are both
scientific and educational in nature.
Observations gained in Shadow-beacon sessions using
the in-orbit Sputnik hardware between 2011-2013
involved around 70 ground operators in the testing
and development of special software for construction
of experimental ISS footprint contours on the Earths
surface. In a November 2011 series of Shadow-beacon
sessions, laboratory curriculum for students was tested
and students demonstrated the Shadow-beacon
procedure as an extracurricular activity.
For more information about the formulation and
conditions of the experiment, the sessions schedule,
registration instructions, information on the progress
of its implementation, or for training materials, visit
the website at http://knts.tsniimash.ru/shadow/en/
Default.aspx.
To date, the Shadow-beacon website has received
over 160 applications for participation from private and
club amateur radio stations. This includes educational
institutions interested in using Shadow-beacon
procedures in the learning process. In order to improve
the methodology for educational purposes and to
strengthen its social significance, the developers
hold classes in which students are directly involved in
the process of data registration and analysis, and in
preparation and sending resulting reports to amateur
radio operators. These operators are registered
participants of the experiment who will be invited to
help the neighboring schools conduct space lessons.
Expanding the ISS educational laboratory to orbital
heights through use of programs like Shadow-beacon
provides opportunities to stimulate student interest and
participation in the educational process.
Students from Moscows Center of Social Aid
to family and Children Pechatniki take part
in registration of sounding signals from orbit
by field station ra3awc in the November 2011
series of Shadow-beacon (SE).
Image credit: FGUP TsNIIMash
101
Students get fit the astronaut way
When you think of NASA, you likely picture either
the space shuttle or the International Space Station.
Perhaps you have images of planets and galaxies
flashing before your minds eye. NASAs Mission X:
Train Like an Astronaut (TLA), however, focuses a
little closer to home. Working with the schools in
local neighborhoods and around the world, Mission X
applies the same skills used to train astronauts, as well
as the excitement of space exploration, to motivate
over 15,000 students in 140 cities around the globe to
live a healthier lifestyle.
Students ages 8 through 12
learn about the importance
of hydration, bone health,
balanced nutrition, and fitness.
Led by NASAs Human Research Program, the TLA
project includes physical education activities and
educational modules on an interactive website (www.
trainlikeanastronaut.org). The activities and modules
are available in 15 different languages for participants
in 22 countries including, the United States, Austria,
Belgium, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark,
France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Third- and fourth-grade students in Japan
participate in the Jump for the Moon activity.
Image credit: JAXA
102
Participants at The Resource Center (TRC) in
Jamestown, New York, celebrate their kick-off of
Mission X 2013.
Image credit: TRC
Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
and the United Kingdom. This growing list of
countries brings the TLA program closer to its goal
of making kinesiology and nutrition fun for children by
encouraging them to train like astronauts!
Chuck Lloyd, the NASA program manager responsible
for the project, commented on how the space program
excites students, prompting their active participation.
Mission X is all about inspiring and educating our youth
about living a healthy lifestyle with a focus on improving
their overall daily physical activity with the Mission X
physical activities.
Students ranging from 8 to 12 years old learn about
the science behind their activities, including the
importance of hydration, bone health and balanced
nutrition. The activities have also been adapted for
individuals with unique needs. Known as fit explorers,
the participants stay motivated with fun ways to gauge
their success. For instance, they can see what other
schools are doing on the Train Like An Astronaut blog.
Fit explorers log their accumulated activity points over
the course of the program to help an online cartoon
astronaut, known as Astro Charlie, walk to the moon.
Astro Charlie has made it to the moon every yeara
distance of 238,857 miles (384,403 km) or 478 million
stepsand hes still going!
Fit explorers learn that astronauts train before, during
and after missions to maintain top physical health via
good nutrition, rest and physical activity to function
in the demanding environment of microgravity. Lloyd
makes the connection of such health-centric mindsets
for everyone, even those not planning to launch into
space. Program success is met when our youth makes
smart choices by balancing the amount of work, play
and sleep they get to maintain peak performance.
Education is critical to our youth and to our
communities to ensure we have tomorrows workforce
and technical leadership poised to address the rigors
of oursocieties.
Mission X was piloted in 2011. The challenge takes
place from January to March when the participants
from around the world complete the activities and team
up to help Astro Charlie arrive at the moon. Each year
Mission X continues to grow in the number of partici-
pating children and adults, countries and languages.
During the 2014 Challenge, participants were able
to follow NASA astronaut, Mike Hopkins, who
encouraged Fit Explorers to join him in a lifelong
journey to improve health and fitness. In preparation for
his mission to the ISS, a series of videos and products
were produced to showcase his astronaut training.
While on the station, he connected with participants
to share his experiences in space. After his return to
Earth, you can also learn what it took for him to return
his strength and fitness to pre-mission levels. We
encourage you to follow the TLA Facebook and Twitter
pages at http://www.facebook.com/trainastronaut
and https://twitter.com/trainastronaut.
Inspiring youth with a call to the
International Space Station
Ever since the Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS) hardware was first launched
aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-106 and
transferred to the space station for use by its first crew,
it has been used regularly to perform contacts with
Students get interested
in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics
by talking directly with crews
living and working on the
space station.
education organizations. The overall goal of ARISS
contacts is to get students interested in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by
allowing them to talk directly with the crews living and
working aboard the station.
The ARISS conversations usually last for about 10
minutes. During that time, crew aboard the station
answer students questions as an audience of students
and community members look on.
An ARISS contact takes place as a part of a
comprehensive suite of education activities. In
preparation for these exchanges, students learn about
the space station and the research conducted aboard
the space station. In addition to learning about life in
space, the students learn about radio waves and how
amateur radio works. The ARISS program is all about
inspiring and encouraging by reaching the community
and providing a chance for schools to interact with
local technical experts. It also brings the space
program to their front door.
In order for ARISS to work, the station must pass over
the Earth-bound communicators during amateur radio
transmissions to relay signals between the stations
ham radio and ground receivers. Other factors,
including weather, crew availability, and the schedules
of vehicles visiting the space station, drive the timing
of the scheduled transmissions. During this pass, an
average of 18 questions can be answered, depending
Astronaut Sunita L. Williams, flight engineer for
Expeditions 14 and 15, talks with students at the
International School of Brussels in Belgium during
an Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station session in the Zvezda Service Module.
Image credit: NASA
103

A student talks to a crew member aboard the
International Space Station during an Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) contact.
Image credit: ARISS
on the complexity of the query. To date, the space
station has held more than 800 ARISS sessions with
students in over 40 countries around the world.
The downlink audio from ARISS contacts can be heard
by anyone in range with basic receiving equipment,
transmissions broadcast on 145.800 megahertz. Inter-
ested parties can also catch a broadcast via EchoLink
and the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) amateur
radio networks or on the Internet, when available.
For students who have never thought about space
exploration, being involved in an amateur radio event
such as this can be an eye-opener and pave the way
for them to dare to dream and for those dreams to
come true.
U.S. educators interested in participating in an ARISS
communication can contact NASAs Teaching From
Space Office for a proposal packet. International
schools should submit applications via the ARISS
website for consideration. Submissions are due in July
and January of each year.
104
Calling cosmonauts from home
Educating future generations of scientists,
technologists, engineers and mathematicians is a
global effortone that includes the contributions of
the Russian Federal Space Agency, or Roscosmos.
One of the main objectives of activities aboard the
International Space Station is the implementation of
education and outreach projects that contribute to
attracting young people to studying science. These
projects also help create modern, high-technology
equipment and increase societys support of space
programs in general and in the space station program,
particularly. Currently aboard the Russian segment
of the station are four space investigations that have
educational components: Coulomb Crystal, Shadow-
beacon, MAI-75 and Great Start. These experiments
continue to demonstrate great benefits in capturing the
imagination of students across Russia.
Future generations of
scientists, technologists,
engineers and mathematicians
get their start through global
communication.
Coulomb Crystal is an investigation aimed at studying
the dynamics of solid, dispersed environments in an
inhomogeneous, magnetic field in microgravity. Pilot
studies aboard the station explore the structural prop-
erties of Coulomb clustersliquid crystal phase transi-
tions, wave processes and the physical and mechani-
cal characteristics of its heating mechanism, to just
name a few. Students at all levels, including secondary
school and college, have had the opportunity to pre-
pare and conduct the experiment on the ground.
Shadow-beacon is a VHF radio beacon that allows
amateur radio enthusiasts to communicate with crew
members aboard the station. The presence of this
equipment on the Russian segment of the station
serves as a learning tool for students in the area of
space communications. Students learn about the
conditions of the admission-transfer of the radio
beacon using the world amateur radio network. They
also study the characteristics and spatial distribution
of the intensity of the radio broadcast and rebroadcast
from the onboard transceiver.

Diagram of the experiment Shadow-beacon.
Image credit: Roscosmos
Along the lines of Shadow-beacon, MAI-75 is also
part of the suite of communication equipment
housed aboard the Russian segment of the station.
This investigation allows for a system of quick video
downlinks from space in near-real-time. This network
distribution affords students and amateur radio
operators from all over Russia the opportunity to learn
first-hand from space explorers what it is like to live
and work in space. The use of Earth images from
space are also an effective source of inspiration and
motivation forstudents.
Great Start is an investigation aimed at popularizing
the achievements of cosmonautics in Russia and in
the world. Developed with the preparation of a special
questionnaire, this experiment allows the general public
an opportunity to express its opinion regarding the first
human flight in space, a great event in human history.
The public also gets acquainted with the results of sci-
entific investigations conducted aboard the space sta-
tion. Great Start promotes and enhances international
cooperation on the space station for further integration
of Russia into the world of cultural, educational and
scientific relations. As a result, there will be scientific
and educational workshops held to popularize the
achievements of Russian human spaceflight with
the involvement of the general population, including
students and specialists in various areas of possible
utilization of the results of spacemissions.
There are several more experiments planned within
the framework of the educational program: ecology-
education, which includes student experiments that
Image taken by the reception and processing
center MAI.
Image credit: Roscosmos
demonstrate the conduct of airborne, microscopic
particle suspensions in microgravity; chemistry-educa-
tion, which includes student experiments that capture
microgravity structural elements in the specified form
on the basis of polymer composite materials and diffu-
sion; and diffusion, which is an educational demonstra-
tion of the process of diffusion in liquid environments
in weightlessness. These educational projects involve
hundreds, if not thousands, of students from all regions
of Russia. Like all of our space station global, regional
and national education programs, these experiments
serve to inspire and motivate students to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering and math-
ematics (STEM).
MAI-75 experiment, main results and
prospects for development in education
The MAI-75 experiment develops and validates the
concepts for designing and operating an innovative
telecommunication satellite system at the Moscow
Aviation Institute (MAI) to support video information
broadcasting from space in real-time to a wide
range of users within Russias academic mobile
communications and internet user communities
The MAI-75 space experiment (Spacecraft and
Modern Personal Communication Technologies) has
been carried out on the International Space Station
Russian Segment (ISS RS) since 2005.
105
 Students were able to
immerse themselves in real-
life science and engineering
applications while learning
management and leadership
skills.
The MAI-75 experiment is carried out using a notebook
computer on the ISS RS, which stores and prepares
the photos and videos that are then transmitted to
Earth using the ham radio communication system, the
primary component of which is the onboard Kenwood
TM D700 transceiver of the Sputnik ham radio
system within the 144-146/430-440 MHz bands.
The experiment used a communication channel
operated on the ham radio frequencies, allowing
to significantly expand the number of experiment
participants both in Russia and globally. The
experiment results can be obtained at a work station.
All that is needed is transceiver equipment that
operates on VHF ham radiofrequencies.
During the experiment, a total of 120 communication
sessions were carried out between the ISS RS and the
MAI Data Reception and Processing Center, each with
a duration of 9-15 minutes, and over 240 video images
were received ranging in size from 14 to 94 KB.
After pre-processing, the images obtained are posted
on a special website where they can be viewed,
Samples of images taken from the ISS RS by amateur radio communication channel during the sessions of
SE MAI-75.
Image credit: Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University)
106
Russian Cosmonaut M. V. Tiurin during a
communication session with the Moscow Aviation
Institute.
Image credit: Moscow Aviation Institute (National
Research University)
reviewed and processed by both educational program
participants and common users. Besides the MAI Data
Reception and Processing Center, the following were
involved in the imagery reception process: Reception
centers at higher education institutions in Moscow (M.
V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, N. E. Bauman
Moscow State Technology University); Krasnoyarsk
(Siberian State Aerospace University); and Kursk (Kursk
State Technology University); Reception centers at the
Aerospace Technology Research Laboratory (Kaluga) of
the Russian Defense Sports-Technology Organization;
Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Center
(Star City); and S.P. Korolev RSC Energia (Korolev);
Ham radio reception stations in Russia, Western
Europe, Central America, and South-East Asia.
Some of the video images received are posted on the
following site: http://www.issfanclub.com/image/tid/54.
During ground-based preparations for MAI-75
experiment sessions, the MAI teachers and students in
conjunction with experts from RSC Energia and FGUP
TsNIIMash led the development and testing of in-orbit
procedures and cosmonaut training; development of
software and hardware packages for use on Earth at
global test sites and in space; and the development
and verification of procedures and tests between the
ground-based remote user terminals.
As a result of the first phase of the MAI-75 experiment,
students were able to immerse themselves in real-life
science and engineering applications, while learning
management and leadership skills unique to the space
station vehicle.
Space experiments such as these enable the second-
ary and higher-education systems to enhance the
effectiveness of teaching natural sciences and to pro-
mote the interest of the public in the space programs
implementation. The capabilities of modern informa-
tion and communication technologies, particularly the
Internet, and of the mobile (cellular) communications
operators enable education program participants to
work directly with the general-purpose video equip-
ment deployed on the ISS. Using a Web interface and
a special site, the program participants are able to
control a digital camera installed on the ISS RS, based
on both the Web-posted camera operation schedules
and the ISS sub-satellite point movement data.

Centers of data reception from the International

Space Station Russian Segment during MAI-75
experiment sessions.
Image credit: Moscow Aviation Institute (National
Research University)

107
International Space Station:
Fostering commerce in space.

108
Economic Development
of Space

While the International Space Station (ISS) has proven its value as a platform for a broad waterfront of
research disciplines as well as technology development, it also provides an ideal opportunity to test
new business relationships. This allows an opportunity to shift from a paradigm of government-funded,
contractor-provided goods and services to a commercially provided, government-as-a-customer
approach.
This interest in promoting a more commercially oriented market in low-Earth orbit (LEO) is driven by
several goals. First, it can stimulate entirely new markets not achievable in the past. Second, it creates
new stakeholders in spaceflight and represents great economic opportunity. Third, it ensures strong
industrial capability not only for future spaceflight but also for the many related industries. Finally, and
perhaps most importantly, it allows cross-pollination of ideas, processes, and best practices, as a
foundation for economic development.
From commercial firms spending some of their research and development funds to conduct research on
the space station, to commercial service providers selling unique services to users of the orbiting lab,
the beginnings of a new economy in LEO are starting to emerge.

109
110
Commercial Service Providers
Evolution of the space station as a laboratory in the vanguard of research in microgravity relies on a
new and growing number of commercial service providers. Rather than follow the traditional model
of government-funded, contractor-provided hardware or capability, a number of firms are entering a
new phase of development of LEOestablishing a market. In this model, commercial firms develop
capabilities that are then offered to government users and also marketed widely to potential new users
of the ISS as a research platform. The space station gains important new (or updated) capability, while
the service provider gains a new market in which to offer its services.

Water production in space: the money to put a more effective system into the
Thirsting for a solution baseline for the station. NASA considered a process,
originally developed by Nobel Prize-winning French
Developing and maintaining water production on the
chemist Paul Sabatier in the early 1900s, using a
International Space Station is vital for keeping the crew
nickel catalyst to interact with hydrogen and carbon
alive as well as supporting hygiene and equipment
dioxide at elevated temperatures and pressures to
functions, yet it presents a bit of a challenge.
produce water and methane. The Sabatier process is
Historically, about half of stations requirements were
a well-established water production technology used
met by recycling used water and the rest by deliveries
for many years for advanced military and commercial
from visiting cargo vehicles. That is not ideal, and
applications, but the space-based application for the
theres an even greater reason for rethinking a self-
station is unique because of the commercial structure
generating water solution.
of itsimplementation.
For many years, the stations life support machinery
NASA determined an enhanced Sabatier system could
has kept the crew alive by recycling oxygen from
reduce water resupply requirements by thousands of
water using electrolysis. The hydrogen this produced
was considered waste gas and vented overboard.
So, too, was carbon dioxidegenerated by crew
metabolismvented overboard. NASA knew it
forfeited two important consumables but did not have

Not only was the Sabatier

hardware developed and
funded by a non-governmental
entity, it is operated on a
purely commercial basis,
with NASA buying the water NASA astronaut Douglas H. Wheelock, Expedition
25 commander, is photographed with the Sabatier
generated for use on the Assembly - Just prior to installation into Oxygen
space station. Generator System rack.
Image credit: NASA

111
pounds of water per year and close the loop in the
oxygen and water regeneration cycle. This represented
significant and immediate cost savings in the operation
of the space station, and provided a way to produce
water rather than transport it all from Earth, increasing
the goal of self-sufficiency and broadening the
path for extended human survival in low-Earth orbit
andbeyond.
In April 2008, NASA contracted with Hamilton
Sundstrand Space, Land & Sea, to provide water-
production services aboard the space station that
would connect to the existing life-support system.
While the company for some time has provided a
number of systems for ISS, including spacesuits and
those that control electrical power, this agreement
expanded its existing work to develop the Sabatier
processor. The result was that a 550-pound stainless
steel cube the size of a small refrigerator arrived via
Space Shuttle Discovery on April 7, 2010, and was
operational by October of that year.
The system includes half a dozen major components
that ingest, pressurize, condense and transform gases
to produce water and methane gas. Besides this
production, it is designed for containment of the very
reactive hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases. Water
is processed through the Water Recovery System.
The methane is vented into space, and the water is
fed into the stations water system where it undergoes
treatment before it is used for drinking, personal
hygiene and scientific experiments.
The implementation of Sabatier on ISS is as much
about the technological value as about a partnering
breakthrough; not only was the Sabatier hardware
developed and funded by a non-governmental entity,
it is operated on a purely commercial basis, with
NASA buying the water generated for use on the
space station. The collaboration between NASA and
UTC Aerospace Systems has made a significant
contribution to the space stations supply chain.
Instead of traditional cost-plus contracting roles, the
idea was to develop a piece of spaceflight hardware
with minimal NASA oversight.
A new business model was in the making. The
partners agreed that UTC would fund the development
and operation of the Sabatier system, while NASA
would launch it on an assembly mission and
provide it rack space on the station. Importantly, the
agreement removed more than 70 percent of NASAs
standard requirements. Verification of the remaining
requirements was left as flexible as possible, and
specific verification criteria were defined only where
absolutelyrequired.
112
If the system did not work, NASA would owe nothing
to UTC; while the system is operational (which it
has been for several years now), NASA pays for the
amount of water produced. While NASA provided
some milestone payments during the development
timeframe, these were subject to a 100-percent
refund if the hardware did not work upon in-orbit
activation. This met NASAs need to keep UTC
motivated and met UTCs need for cash flow during
the developmentphase.
ISS is a test bed for exploration, but this illustrates
that it can also be a test bed for procurement options.
Commercial providers believed that they could deliver
a Sabatier system cheaply if the government would
just allow them to do so. This experience is serving as
a pathfinder for other innovative hardware development
on ISS.
Commercialization of low-Earth orbit
(LEO)
For too long, in order to utilize the International Space
Station and its LEO environment, one had to be
an expert, and that presented a significant barrier.
Fortunately, an exciting new commercial pathway is
revolutionizing and opening access to spacemaking
space just like any other place to do business.
In 2009, NanoRacks started under a very unique
Space Act Agreement that enables access to the
ISS manifest and in-orbit resources. NanoRacks has
self-funded specific research hardware for the station.
Utilizing the ultimate Plug and Play approach, small
payloads in the CubeLab/CubeSat form factor are
plugged into platforms or racks, providing interface
with space station power and data capabilities. (A
CubeSat is a miniaturized satellite that usually has a
volume of exactly one liter, or a 10-cm/4-inch cube,
and has a mass of no more than 1.33 kilograms/2.9
pounds; the CubeLab is a comparable, compact
research environment for inside ISS.)
An exciting new commercial
pathway is revolutionizing and
opening access to space,
making space just like any
other place to do business.

Planet Labs Dove satellites being deployed from
the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer, Feb. 14,
2014.
Image credit: NASA
In return, the business model enables NanoRacks to
market to other organizations as long as it executes
the mission of the U.S. National Lab to provide
research access to paying customers as commercial
users of ISS. This is extraordinary because, for the first
time, the market is expressing what can and should
be done on the station without direct funding by the
government. Over the past three years of operation,
NanoRacks has sent more than 200 payloads to
station, literally launching a new space market.
NanoRacks Exposed Platform, scheduled for
delivery to the ISS in October 2015 on HTV-5.
Image credit:NanoRacks
Another slice of the new market for NanoRacks is the
deployment of small satellites from the station, and no
one anticipated its immediate success. NanoRacks
saw the opportunity to use the Japanese Experiment
Module (JEM) airlock and posed the question to NASA:
If we develop our own more-efficient, less-expensive
satellite deployer, can we use it? The question
was not about seeking funding, but permission, to
develop and serve a market. NanoRacks identified
potential customers on the U.S. west coast working
on miniaturization and electronics that wanted to
make small satellites but had no way to launch other
than through cost-prohibitive Russian or U.S. assets.
Subsequently, these companies, as well as labs and
organizations throughout the U.S. government, have
been very responsive to the NanoRacks CubeSat
Deployer (NRCSD). Initially planning to deploy only
occasionally, the company now has a queue of
customers ready to be deployed from the station.
NanoRacks has applied the power of standardization,
the efficiencies of commercialization, and the advances
in component miniaturization to in-orbit operations. By
focusing on customer satisfaction, they have made it
possible for non-experts to use the space environment
for experiments.
Private sector participation provides a new model for
moving forward in partnership with the government.
Through that model, the private sector develops the
market, secures the funding, and builds the hardware
while the U.S. taxpayer provides the infrastructure
and the foundation of the U.S. National Lab in space.
The benefits include transparency of costs, low-cost
execution, access to space (either for microgravity
or the vantage point in low-Earth orbit), speed to
market (months as opposed to years), international
collaboration and new-idea generation, and broad
accessibility over five years.
Innovative public-private partnerships
for ISS cargo services: Part 1
In January 2006, NASA announced the Commercial
Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program would
be designated to coordinate the delivery of crew and
cargo to the International Space Station by private
companies. The intent was to spur innovation by the
commercial sector to design, build, launch, and fly ISS-
destined cargo demonstration flights by September
2013. The companies initially selected for the COTS
program were Space Exploration Technologies
(SpaceX) and Rocketplane Kistler. However, the
companies and spacecraft ultimately completing the
113
 Founder Elon Musk focused the vision early, utilizing a
vertical integration business modelan arrangement
The Commercial Orbital in which the supply chain of a company is owned by
Transportation Services that company. In order to control quality and costs,
SpaceX designs, tests and fabricates the major-
(COTS) program has been ity of its components in-house, including the rocket
heralded as one of the most engines used on the Falcon launch vehicles and the
Dragon spacecraft. This type of production is unusual
extraordinary examples of in the aerospace industry but has allowed SpaceX to
public/private partnership, and significantly reduce conventional rocket development
and flight integration time. In addition to the capability
a leap of faith for NASA. of delivering pressurized cargo, the Dragon vehicle also
has a trunk allowing the transport of unpressurized
payloads intended for the exterior locations on the
station (and for disposing of them once their opera-
tional life or research mission is complete). Perhaps
program demonstration requirements were the SpaceX
most importantly, it can return cargo and experiment
Dragon and Orbital Sciences Corporations Cygnus
samples to Earth in the pressurized volume. This
vehicles. COTS did not involve binding contracts
but did require the successful completion of pre-
determined development and financing milestones
through the use of Space Act Agreements. A separate
program called the Commercial Resupply Services
(CRS) was initiated approximately two years after
the COTS program began. While the first program
developed the transportation vehicles, the second
is designed to provide actual cargo and payload
deliveries to the station and either cargo return
or cargo removal and disposal from the station.
The COTS program involved funded Space Act
Agreements, with NASA providing milestone-based
payments. CRS is a fixed-price services contract,
which requires the two suppliers to assume liability for
failure to perform their cargo deliveries.
A look inside the decision by NASA to open its doors
to private industry is compelling.
Station resupply and disposal was the first capability
arearequiring precision orbit insertion, rendezvous,
and docking with another spacecraftwith commercial
crew transportation to follow.
Today, with space station cargo resupply efforts
underway, it is clear the unprecedented efficiency of
the COTS investment resulted in two new automated
cargo spacecraft. It has been heralded as one of
the most extraordinary examples of public/private
partnership, and a leap of faith for NASA.
SpaceXs achievements include the first privately
funded, liquid-fueled rocket (Falcon 1) to reach orbit
on Sept. 28, 2008; the first privately funded launch, SpaceXs Falcon 9 lifts off with its Dragon resupply
orbit and recovery of a spacecraft, Dragon, on Dec. vehicle aboard, headed for the ISS.
9, 2010; and the first private spacecraft (Dragon) to
launch to the station, on May 25, 2012. As of February Image credit: NASA
2015, SpaceX has flown six cargo missions to the ISS.

114
 The new resupply services
contracts represent a
major change in the way
NASA procures space
transportation services.

SpaceXs Dragon capsule as it approaches the rocket development and integration at the launch site.
ISS, Oct. 25, 2014. Having been a partner with NASA for many years on
multiple projects, the COTS and CRS projects allowed
Image credit:NASA
Orbital to be actively involved in the ISS program,
NASAs premier human spaceflight endeavor, leverag-
ing its spacecraft and rocket experience to date. Addi-
tionally, it inspired Orbital to invest in more research
return of recoverable capability had been all but lost to and development to support the new endeavor.
NASA since the retirement of the shuttle; the only other
means of returning very small amounts of pressurized
cargo has been with the crews as they return to Earth
via Russian Soyuz vehicles.
During a keynote speech in 2013 at the International
Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight
(ISPCS) Conference, SpaceX Chief Operating Officer
Gwynne Shotwell described the notable change in
public perception about space. She said the surge in
commercial opportunities through partnerships with
NASA and the rebirth of entrepreneurial organizations
has spurred renewed awareness and excitement,
including a growth in technical and engineering jobs.

Innovative public-private partnerships

for ISS cargo services: Part 2
An important part of the COTS story is that a human-
inhabited space station presents a useable, continuous
market for commercial ventures. Initially, there was
a crucial need for cargo delivery to the station. The
COTS and CRS programs enabled a new mindset
about resupply missions, with cost and assumption
of risk no longer weighted on the government and
the opportunity for private contractors to propose
innovative solutions. The new resupply services
contracts represent a major change in the way NASA
procures space transportation services. Orbitals Antares rocket with the Cygnus cargo
vehicle aboard, launches to the International
Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital) has been
Space Station.
involved in the commercial use of space for 33 years.
Orbital sells satellites commercially to operators around Image credit:NASA
the world. That business model evolved to incorporate

115

Orbitals Cygnus vehicle about to be berthed to
the International Space Station, July 16, 2014.
Image credit:NASA
As one might imagine, the level of financial risk for
a commercial company in the rocket and satellite
business is greater than other means of transportation.
There is always potential for failure. A case in point is
the total loss of the Orbital 3 flight immediately after
liftoff in October 2014. The loss of the cargo destined
for the station required all parties to work together
to re-plan and recover from the unfortunate event.
Publicly traded Orbital had built cost control into the
structure of the company. The books are open for the
Security Exchange Commission and stockholders
to see, so there has to be transparency in company
finances. Insurance companies are incorporated into
the mix to help manage risk. Another challenge is that
customer requirements tend to change and there is
a desire to be flexible, but changes cost money. Past
systems such as the space shuttle used cost-plus
contracting. If NASA sought to change a requirement,
the contractor complied and issued an additional
bill. Under the fixed-price contracting of today, the
change request is reviewed by all parties for potential
scope increase and evaluated for the additional cost.
Alternative in-scope versus out-of-scope ideas, called
what if scenarios, can be brainstormed without
incurring a lot of cost because of the collaborative
nature of all involved. Competition also makes the
parties more cognizant of the costs.
Commercialization of various aspects of NASAs
mission is having a very positive ripple effect. New
companies participating in human spaceflight and
developing unique partnerships has given regional
economies a boost. Multiple international suppliers
have close ties to their respective space agencies,
116
which enables more collaboration and continuity. And
large and small U.S. aerospace companies now have
the ability to contribute and join these ventures.
With SpaceX and Orbital leading the way in carrying
out the resupply service at a lower cost to the
taxpayer, NASA can give its attention to other space
station and exploration objectives.
Precision pointing platform for Earth
observations from the ISS
In May 2014, the German Aerospace Center
(Deutsches Zentrum fr Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR)
and the U.S. corporation Teledyne Brown Engineering,
Inc. (TBE) announced an agreement to install and
operate the imaging spectrometer DLR Earth
Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS) aboard the
International Space Station. As one of four DLR-built
camera systems for remote sensing, it will be fitted
to the Multi-User System for Earth Sensing (MUSES)
precision-pointing platform TBE is developing for the
station. DESIS will be able to detect changes in the
land surface, oceans and atmospherecontributing to
a better understanding in fields as diverse as ecology,
agriculture, and urban land use. The project is intended
to open up new possibilities in Earth observation and is
one of the first to be developed for ISS in cooperation
with a commercial enterprise. This follows by just two
years TBEs award of a Cooperative Agreement by
NASA to foster the commercial utilization of the space
station by developing MUSES, which in turn launched
the companys new commercial space-based digital
imagingbusiness.
MUSES is a platform designed to host Earth-looking
instruments, such as high-resolution digital cameras
and multi- or hyperspectral instruments, and provide
precision pointing, inertia-stabilization, and other
accommodations.
The new platform is about a meter square, with gyros,
star trackers (small aperture, space-qualified optical
We must establish enough
momentum to sustain
commercial enterprise in low-
Earth orbit when the current
station is no longer available.
products that ensure a spacecrafts accurate attitude
in space), and step motors (used for robotics and
handy devices for repeatable positioning) designed
to keep that platform fixed in inertial space, so as
to negate the wobbles and vibrations of the station,
which is critical for image quality. MUSES can host up
to four instruments simultaneously to look down at the
Earth. The model for commercialization of the station
is evolving such that the company contributed its own
resources while NASA shared in the development
costs as well as providing the launch and in-orbit
infrastructure. TBE has secured a National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) commercial
imaging/remote-sensing license so that it can operate
instruments on MUSES and then sell the data
commercially. The company likens the station to a
piece of real estate several hundred miles up in the
air that is being developed over time for scientific,
economic, educational, commercial, and quality of life
purposes.
The first instrument placed aboard will be the
DLRs DESIS hyperspectral instrument, which has
the capacity to distinguish slight variations in the
reflectance of sunlight from the Earth surface (in the
visible through near-infrared spectrum) when pointed
over a geographic area. An image spectrometer is able
to distinguish very subtle changes in the reflectance
spectrum for distinguishing plant species or whether
the forest is undergoing some sort of stress due to
drought or pests. Fine variations in surface reflectance
can give immense amounts of information just not
possible with picture, such as you would take with an
off-the-shelf digital camera.
The MUSES facility on the ISS will provide a state-
of-the-art pointing platform for Earth observations.
Image credit:TBE
Remote sensing of the Earth has come a long way,
driven by concerns about agriculture, oil or gas
resources, biodiversity, mineralogy, change detection
and monitoring of world heritage sites, coastal zones,
water ecosystems, and transportation. The DLR/
TBE commercial enterprise introduces a very specific
measurement tool that will improve with application, for
many markets that already exist. It is as much about
the uses of the data as the data itself. For example,
if a farmer wants to know when, where and how to
water his corn, he doesnt really need to know all the
technology behind a spectral library.
TBE was motivated to think more commercially about
how it does business. TBE responded to a broad
agency announcement (BAA) with an idea for putting
a platform on the station and starting a commercial
business leveraging its existing infrastructure. NASA
and TBE recognized that the quickest way to extract
value from the ISS would be to bring down data.
TBE knows it is at one end of the pipelineits users
will benefit from the use of the dataand by providing
data that is otherwise not available for application in
industries such as fisheries and agriculture, TBE will
be testing a commercial model for other instruments in
thefuture.
Visioning beyond the space station will be critical for
NASA and companies like TBE. To sustain what is now
a nascent commercial marketplace in low-Earth orbit,
participants must understand, accept, and plan for
the day when the station will no longer be there. We
The MUSES platform undergoes final testing at
the TBE labs, Huntsville, Ala.
Image credit:TBE
117
must not only leverage and develop the commercial
market utilizing current assets but smoothly portage
that whole commercial economy from the current
station to whatever other infrastructures we can
foresee, will build, or have available in LEO or beyond.
In other words, we must establish enough momentum
to move the commercial enterprise beyond when the
current station is no longer an asset at our disposal.
Though this might seem difficult, it actually energizes
the foundations on which our country was established:
the challenge to persist, to contribute, to open new
possibilities, and to make this world a better place.
The Groundbreaker: Earth observation
In 2014, NanoRacks signed an agreement with a
publicly traded Canadian company called UrtheCast to
place Earth Observation (EO) sensors on the American
side of the space station, having already placed two
instruments on the Russian side. UrtheCasts entire
business model is tied now to the ISS. Whats more,
through this partnership, UrtheCast is making one
of the single largest private investments to date in
utilization of the station.
The genesis of a new company began four years ago
when MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA),
Canadas largest aerospace company, explored
options for placing Earth observing sensors on the
Russian segment. Ultimately, MDA determined the
project was not compatible with its corporate mission,
so did not pursue it further. However, a couple of
executives took the opportunity to spin the company
out and pursue the prospect directly, calling the new
firm UrtheCast. They developed an experiment to build
and operate two cameras on the ISS and market the
imagery worldwide.
Both cameras launched in November 2013 and
were installed in January 2014 via two spacewalks
by Russian cosmonauts. With two sensors in place,
UrtheCast went on to raise $68 million privately and
UrtheCast is a company
whose entire business
model is tied to the ISS and
is making a large private
investment to use the station.
118
ultimately executed an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on
the Toronto Stock Exchange.
About the same time the two cameras were installed,
UrtheCast started actively seeking a U.S. partner,
ultimately partnering with NanoRacks, seeking its
access to station. It was a natural fit, which resulted
in a June 2014 announcement that a suite of next-
generation sensors would be developed and ready to
launch in late 2016 or early 2017.
The UrtheCast/NanoRacks partnership plans to put
its own small module, called Lightweight UrtheCast
NanoRacks Alcove (LUNA), on the U.S. side of station.
The proposed project would contain three elements:
1. A very high-resolution, dual-mode and multi-
spectral camera, capable of switching between
still images and high-resolution video. Developers
hope that after processing, the sensor can achieve
resolution as low as 40 centimeters, which would
make it one of the highest-resolution, Earth
observation instruments in orbit.
2. A Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensor, which
will send an energy pulse down to Earth, providing
the ability to see at night and through clouds. The
data set is not intuitive to look at and very difficult
to handle, but fusing the data sets ultimately
creates a cloudless image.
3. The two sensors will be paired with a dedicated
X-band downlink and distributed through Internet
Cloud technology, enabling a capability akin to
Google Earth and Netflix.
Urthecast camera being installed on the Russian
Segment of the International Space Station.
Image credit:Roscosmos
 Captured by UrtheCasts Theia camera on July 3, 2014, this image spans across Rome, Italy, and its surroundings.
Image credit:UrtheCast
The station is a very capable imaging platform. It is
in low-Earth orbit, which means very high-resolution
instruments can provide great images, its orbit covers
approximately 95 percent of the Earths inhabited
areas, and it has the ability to revisit locations regularly.
The partnership between UrtheCast, NanoRacks,
and NASA allows instruments to be put in orbit at a
lower cost by benefitting from existing infrastructure
and investment. These companies believe that
dreams for space exploration will remain politically and
economically difficult to achieve unless an energized
customer base emerges. They believe that data from
state-of-the-art EO sensors on the station offer an
obvious solution to help stimulate that demand.
A flock of CubeSats photographs our
changing planet
Around 10:50 a.m. on July 23, 2014, the California
Highway Patrol received a report of a fast-growing
wildfire in Riverside County, west of Palm Springs. The
blaze spread quickly, forcing some residents to evacu-
ate. Within 15 minutes, a toaster-sized satellite called
a Dove captured an image depicting the fires size, the
path it burned through, the winds direction, and the
fires exact location. The fire was fully contained within
a day. The satellite took the picture without anyone
requesting it, simply performing its normal task of
photographing a 10-kilometer by 15-kilometer strip of
Earth (about 6 miles by 9 miles) every second, a job
enabled by the International Space Station.
Larger government and commercial satellites provide
nations and corporations with detailed images of the
planet, some of which people can browse to look
for their own neighborhoods. These satellites are
expensive and limited in number, though, and either
have low spatial resolution or take images according
to customer requests, focusing only on certain areas.
Crucially, these satellites might not take repeat images
of the same region for several months. This makes it
difficult to study rapid changes, such as international
conflicts, environmental degradation or fast-growing
forest fires.
A small-satellite startup called Planet Labs is using the
space station as a launch pad for a fleet of miniature
Planet Labs aims to make
Dove images searchable and
easily available for everyone
from governments studying
changing shorelines to
firefighters battling a forest fire.
119
 to Earth and, by design, burn up in the atmosphere.
Doves are continually replaced by newer models,
which Planet Labs is constantly testing and updating
from its San Francisco headquarters. To date, Planet
Labs has built more than 100 Doves. The company
is funded through private venture capital and private
investors.
Eventually, Planet Labs aims to make Dove images
searchable and easily available for anyone who wants
to look at themfrom spectators eager to see their
houses, to governments studying changing shorelines
and firefighters battling a blaze in a small slice of forest.

Stretch your horizons, Stay Curious

Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation
Two Planet Labs Dove CubeSats immediately (KSTC), and two subsidiaries, Kentucky Space (a
after being deployed from the ISS. nonprofit company) and Space Tango, Inc. (a for-profit
Image credit:NASA enterprise) are building a reputation for designing and
executing diverse initiatives in science, technology,
entrepreneurship and disruptive innovation. The focus
is on small, high-value satellites and applications,
and novel space platforms and experiments for the
orbital cameras. These flocks of 11-pound (5 kg)
spacestation.
CubeSats, or Doves, take continuous photos of the
entire Earth and transmit them to ground stations every Kentucky Space began as a vehicle for involving
90 minutes. They provide an unprecedented view of university students in space projects. It is an ambitious
Earth, from growth in cities to summer wildfires like the consortium of universities and public and private orga-
one in California. nizations aimed at designing and leading innovative
space missions within realistic budgets and objectives.
Different types of CubeSats frequently launch from the
The programs cover a spectrum of flight opportunities
space station and provide a novel way to image Earth,
including near-space balloons; sub-orbital, orbital and
log ship traffic, and send messages, among many
other tasks. An entire flock allows Planet Labs 8 to
collect planet-wide data, which would be impossible
with a larger single satellite. The company started in
Silicon Valley in 2009 with a goal of capturing a daily
global mosaic of Earth. This requires a large fleet of
CubeSats, and the station is the key to getting them
into space.
From its perch 230 miles (370 km) above Earth, each
Dove captures images once per second and each
has a resolution of 10 to 16 feet (three to five meters).
That means each pixel in the cameras viewing area
corresponds to a 3-meter-wide object. That resolution
is enough to distinguish individual trees in a rainforest
but not enough to identify a person walking on the
street. Planet Labs has launched 71 Doves since
January 2014 using CubeSat deployers developed by
NanoRacks, LLC. In part because the CubeSats are Irrigated fields in Pinal County, Arizona, as viewed
so small and relatively inexpensive, they have a lifespan by a Dove CubeSat.
of only a few months of operations, but their orbital Image credit:Planet Labs
altitudes are low enough that they eventually fall back

120

Space has always been at
the forefront of innovation and
really pushes any company to
challenge the status quo.
ISS missions; as well as partnerships with organiza-
tions and space agencies worldwide. Twyman Cle-
ments was a student at Kentucky Space only a few
years ago; now he is the young CEO of Space Tango.
Based in Lexington, Space Tango seeks to utilize
space to discover, design and commercialize solutions
for applications on Earth. This is accomplished through
platformshardware and software offerings to those in
the research communities looking to utilize the unique
environment of microgravity. Focused primarily on the
entrepreneurial space marketplace, Space Tangos
capabilities and experience involve CubeSat class and
other micro-satellites and subsystems, satellite ground
operations, space platform design and testing, and
development of novel technology and experiments
for the station. The company is committed to a highly
collaborative business strategy and works closely
with a number of other companies, universities and
organizations.
A general research platform/multi-lab facility, called
TangoLab by Clements, will be installed in 2015 on
the ISS. It will host a variety of payloads relevant to the
medical field, the material sciences, and environmental
sensing. Researchers will interact with their experi-
ments in the unique space environment right from a
computer, with data transmitted over the internet.
The CubeLab arose from a need for repeatable/afford-
able research on the station. The uniquely designed
research module was developed by Kentucky Space,
based on the proven CubeSat form-factor. Providing
a standardized platform and open architecture for the
experimental modules shortens the development cycle
and lowers costs for research and development. The
goal is to lead to quicker time to market for new drug
products, treatments or procedures.
The TangoLab research platform is a work of elegant
art. It was not simple to develop, requiring the
collaborative experience and creativity of everyone
involved, with the aid of 3-D printing. The premise,
though, is simple: use of standardized hardware
dramatically lowers the cost of space station utilization.
In May 2011, Kentucky Space launched an exciting
new initiative: the study and exploration of medical
solutions in the microgravity environment of space.
The Exomedicine Institute, an interdisciplinary team of
top scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, has been
assembled to forge ahead into this new and potentially
promising field of research.
All organisms on Earth, during evolution over billions
of years, have adapted their form and function to
the force of Earths gravity. These characteristics
are encoded in their genes: up-down asymmetry,
structural strength, size of force-producing elements
and sensory systems.
Since gravity influences all biological systems at a
molecular level, what happens to biological systems
when the influence of gravity is modified or removed?
We cant remove gravity on Earth, but conducting
biomedical research in space makes certain Earth-
bound limitations disappear.
Without gravity, cells, molecules, protein crystals, and
microbes behave in very different ways. Microgravity
thus presents opportunities to explore new and
potentially game-changing discoveries in areas such
as human tissue regeneration, drug development,
treatments for diseases such as cancer and other life-
threatening and chronic conditions, as well as energy
and novel materials.
The work of Kentucky Space, Space Tango, and
the Exomedicine Institute reflect an interdisciplinary
approach to research and development (R&D), as
well as the rise of a newspace era with a multitude
Flatworms being prepared for loading into the
Biological Research In Canisters hardware.
Image credit:Space Tango
121
of players. Lowering barriers enables people to do
research in, and manufacture for, LEO. Based on a full-
service philosophy, these three companies recognize
that the average person knows little about handling a
launch with NASA, so the companies offer engineering
and technical expertise to assist with experiment
design, payload design and integration, facilities, and
a full suite of test equipment and capabilities for a
successful launch.
Going into space forces people to think outside
the box; space has always been at the forefront of
innovation and really pushes any company to challenge
the status quo.
The flatworms had been delivered to the space
station one month earlier as part of a collaboration
between independent, nonprofit space contractor
Kentucky Space and its for-profit arm Space Tango,
the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space
(CASIS), NASA and the Tufts Center for Regenerative
and Development Biology. The experiment could
lead to powerful benefits for humanity, including
further understanding of the regenerative powers
of the flatworms that could someday impact global
healthcare, including treatments for cancers, treatment
of spinal cord injuries, and the ability to correct
developmental problems in embryos.

In 2000, Kimel created another entity as well: Two factors were critical to the success of the
IdeaFestival, an international event centered on research: time and temperature. The flatworms needed
innovation, discovery and creative thinking across to be transported quickly from Long Beach, California,
different disciplines. IdeaFestival is an annual four-day to Tufts University in Boston for analysis, and the
gathering of an eclectic network of global thinkers shipment needed to maintain a temperature of 12
and one-of-a-kind innovators bound together by
an intense curiosity about what is impacting and
shaping the future. Those who attend leave the
event with interesting new ideas, a better sense of
connectedness, an expanded network of relationships Innovative logistics by FedEx
and lasting inspiration to help create change in the
world.
enabled the possibility to
These types of opportunities help inform others of new connect the space station and
ideas, fueling the pipeline of newspace activity with a strong terrestrial team to
a vision to increase private sector entrepreneurship
through student pioneers.
advance research.
As the IdeaFestival mantra goes: Stretch Your
Horizons, Stay Curiousfor a new idea can be
generated when you least expect it.

Mission critical: Flatworm experiment

races the clock after splashdown
Everyone is familiar with the blastoff countdown
associated with a rocket headed to space, but what
about the countdown that takes place once a capsule
returns to Earth?
The highly sensitive biomedical experiments that
travel aboard the International Space Station have
the potential to impact lives. Success of these
experiments often depends on a swift shipment
from the splashdown site to the lab, where scientists
can analyze crucial data. The moments between
splashdown and analysis are critical.
Flatworm specimens are prepared prior to their
This was the case when a capsule from the station launch to the ISS.
carrying 48 planarian flatworms (known for their ability Image credit:Space Tango
to regenerate their own body parts) splashed down in
the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California in 2014.

122

This FedEx environmentally controlled shipping
container, with SenseAware environmental
monitoring, transported the Space Tango
flatworms experiment to the lab after returning to
Earth from the ISS.
Image credit:FedEx
degrees Celsius throughout its journey. Mishandling of
either environmental factor could kill the flatworms and
cause the experiment to fail.
FedEx was up for the challenge. Space Tango, on Ken-
tucky Spaces behalf, worked with the FedEx Space
Desk team, logistical experts for the space industry and
the power behind FedEx Space Solutions, to design
the optimum journey for the flatworm experiment.
When the capsule hit the water, the countdown began.
The vessel was rapidly retrieved and the flatworm
shipment quickly sent on its way to Boston via FedEx
Express, inside a custom-designed, temperature-con-
trolled package. The shipment was monitored through-
out its journey by SenseAware, powered by FedEx,
which allowed stakeholders at Kentucky Space, Space
Tango and Tufts University to not only track its location,
but also remain certain that the temperature inside the
package did not waver from 12 degrees Celsius.
The shipment arrived safely and on time in Boston,
giving Tufts scientists near-immediate access to the
flatworms. Mission: Accomplished.
Research continues on the effects of a microgravity
environment on the regenerative ability of flatworms.
Innovative logistics by FedEx enabled the possibility
to connect the space station and a strong terrestrial
teamall of which played a key role in advancing the
research in this important field.
Economic development of space in JAXA
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has
been striving for economic development of space in
the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM, or Kibo,
which means hope in Japanese) and H-II Transfer
Vehicle (HTV, or Kounotori, which means white
stork in Japanese). Economic development of
space includes advancing technology of Japanese
companies, expanding spin-offs and opening the door
to commercial sectors in Kibo utilization.
Navigation and Communication Services for the
International Space Station
Throughout the history of the ISS program, many
Japanese industries have been challenging traditional
approaches to human spaceflight and acquiring
advanced human space technologies.
Some Japanese firms, with acquired globally
competitive technologies and know-how, have
delivered human space technology systems to the
worldwide commercial market.
There are many undiscovered
possibilities for increasing
space station utilization. JAXA
already has discovered and
successfully accomplished
a number of commercial
projects aboard Kibo.
An example is the Proximity Link system applied
for commercial spacecraft. Mitsubishi Electric
(MELCO) designed and produced the Proximity Link
System (PLS), which communicates with Proximity
Communication System (PROX) installed in the
Kibo module, providing navigational information
and communication links to space vehicles to safely
approach and depart from the station. MELCO
originally designed and produced this PROX/PLS to
enable HTV, or Kountori, to rendezvous and berth with
the station. This brand new technology has since been
applied to Orbitals Cygnus spacecraft to enable its
safe arrival at the station.
123
Commercial Utilization Initiatives
JAXA has endeavored to utilize the Kibo module
commercially for research by following three core
initiatives based on our human space technologies
and experiences of its utilization: promoting use of the
station to new potential commercial markets, creating
new opportunities for commercial customers to use
the station, and enhancing the capabilities of Kibo.
Promotion to Potential Commercial markets
JAXA searched promising research areas with ground
applications and recognized the potential benefit for
drug design using protein crystal growth experiments,
Earth observation and generation of new materials.
For Earth observation, the Japan Space Forum delivers
the high-quality movies of the Earth via internet with its
Kibo Hi-Vision EarthView Educational Program service.
The possibility of generating new materials in space
has attracted commercial companies. One example
is the colloidal crystals as novel optical materials.
Large, high-quality colloidal crystals made in space are
expected to have applications for photonic materials.
This experiment was executed as a collaborative work
between Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Fuji Chemical
Co., Ltd. and universities.
The Production of High Performance Nanomaterials
in Microgravity (Nanoskeleton) investigation aimed
to clarify the effect of gravity on oil flotation,
Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota.
Image credit: Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.
124
sedimentation, and convection on crystals generated
in microgravity. Nanoskeleton data will be added into a
computational chemistry simulation for Nanoskeleton
synthesis, and the simulation will be used for the
prediction of the proper parameters for synthesis on
the ground. Shiseido Co., Ltd. and universities took
part in this project.
Strategic promotion by JAXA has increased the num-
ber of commercial customers, including non-traditional
users. One example is drug companies benefitting
from the protein crystal growth experiments in Kibo.
Another example is space experimentation on the
effects of probiotics on immune function, a collabora-
tive work between a beverage company, Yakult Hon-
sha Co., Ltd. and JAXA. Astronauts may be at physical
risk because a long stay in space is known to alter
human immune function. A probiotic, Lactobacillus
casei strain Shirota, has been demonstrated to offer
health benefits by improving intestinal microbiota and
maintaining immune function on the ground. An investi-
gation in Kibo examined the health benefits of probiot-
ics consumption on human immune systems aboard
the space station. It may lead to the development of
functional space food and techniques for long-term
Lactobacillus preservation on Earth.
New Opportunities for Commercial Customers
In 2013, JAXA started a new commercial utilization
scheme, based on knowledge from previous activity,
In space On ground
Protein crystal growth for drug development.
Image credit: JAXA
to provide more user-friendly utilization services
and a system to facilitate entry and shorten the
time required for implementation of space activities.
JAXAs efforts to encourage new entries from non-
traditional users into the space field continue.
One of the major services already available to
commercial users is the JEM Small Satellite Orbital
Deployer (J-SSOD), which deploys small satellites
for Earth observation, remote sensing and capa-
bility building. J-SSOD is an excellent example of
producing new business using an existing facility,
combining the JEM, airlock and robotic arm. This
conceptual breakthrough has spread. In fact, once
the deployment of small satellites using the airlock
had proven to be a valuable capability, a US com-
panywith NASA as a customerdeveloped their Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) for new
own deployer to take advantage of this opportunity. material generation and high-temperature thermal
A Brazilian microsatellite, AESP-14, was successfully property data acquisition.
deployed in February 2015 from Kibo at Tsukuba Image credit: JAXA
Space Center. AESP-14 was developed by
Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) with
support of Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) and
Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE),
with Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation
(JAMSS) ensuring deployment from Kibo. This was the
first opportunity for commercial utilization of J-SSOD.
Various new space experiment technologies are being
developed such as crystallization technique that
acquires large single crystals for neutron diffraction
and widening temperature range to meet commercial
users demands. Protein crystal growth project has
attracted research-and-development oriented drug
companies through targeted direct promotion. Inter-
protein Corporation, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
and ARKRAY, Inc. participated in JAXAs protein crystal
growth experiments. Interprotein set out to achieve
high-quality, co-crystal structure of proteins and low-
molecular compounds for effective design of drugs. Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism
Chugai aimed at precise 3-D structures of proteins (ExHAM) attached to the JEM Exposed Facility.
by the high-quality crystals grown in microgravity, to
Image credit: JAXA
help understand the structure/function relationship of
drug candidates and create revolutionary new drugs.
ARKRAY and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Tech-
nology took part in JAXAs experiment to analyze the
protein structure that is indispensable for the develop- Rodent facility (Mouse Habitat Unit) for rodent
ment of biosensing technology and aim at its applica- research, fluorescence microscope and Electrostatic
tion for an innovative biosensing system that will be Levitation Furnace (ELF) for new material generation
helpful for the treatment and diagnosis of diabetes. research and high-temperature thermal property
dataacquisition.
Enhancing the Capabilities of Kibo The space station also serves as a test bed for future
JAXA continues upgrades of existing Kibo facilities exploration, satellite technology validation and trans-
as well as new facility installations, including the fer vehicle technology development. JAXA provides

125
simple external experiment opportunities for technical
demonstrations. For example, the Exposed Experiment
Handrail Attachment Mechanism (ExHAM) enables
exposure of materials to the space environment out-
side the station, and cosmic dust extraction. Junkosha
Inc. will utilize ExHAM facility to expose the PEEK
electric wire material, which has high-temperature and
high-radiation resistance, to the space environment.
Acquired data will be evaluated for the companys wire
commercialization in space craft use.
There are likely many undiscovered possibilities for
increasing space station utilization. JAXA already has
discovered and successfully accomplished a number
of commercial projects aboard Kibo and will keep
finding innovative ways to facilitate its commercial
utilization. This will benefit all humanity as well as
provide benefits to Japan.

126
Commercial Research
The unique environment of microgravity provides opportunities for many types of commercially-viable
research. Using model organisms (such as rodents or flatworms) to help understand terrestrial concerns
such as bone loss or muscle wasting, performing materials research on colloids to develop products
that are more uniform and have a longer shelf life, growing larger protein crystals on the space station to
help develop monoclonal antibodies, and using the station as a launchpad for a flock of Earth-observing
satellites, are just a few examples of the diverse research interests of the corporate world and how they
intersect with the International Space Station. These summaries of commercial research activities in
progress show the impact and interest in using the space station for research and development.

Colloids in space: Where consumer prod-

ucts and science intersect
The Proctor & Gamble story represents two types of
people: the consumer and the materials scientist.
As a rule, consumers want to use products that
enhance their lives. Those products must fulfill the
promises they promote, whether to have a long shelf
life, be easy to use, or perform as advertised. In the
case of products such as shampoos or liquid soaps,
the purchaser does not want to see obvious physical
separation of the material within the bottle (a sediment
or settling), which could indicate something amiss.
Materials or physical scientists, for their part, want to
produce products or discover formulas that hold new
promise and function. They want to know how certain
active ingredients or stabilizers behave when added to
product formulas. They constantly hunt for the optimal
mix that will increase product shelf life or performance.
Sometimes it takes working under very special
circumstances, which is why materials scientists
at Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) decided to take
their research to a higher levelaboard the orbiting
laboratory of the International Space Station. Working
with NASA, P&G has funded an investigation of how
gas and liquid phases separate and come together in
microgravity in the study of colloids.
On Earth, gravity complicates this research by causing
heavy components to sink and lighter ones to float.
This movement occurs very quickly, making it difficult
to understand what is happening and why. Space,
however, negates these gravitational forces, revealing
the natural movement of the colloids. The in-orbit
samples aging process works more slowly and evenly,
making it easier to study.
Using microgravity to study
the exceptionally small
particles that make up liquid
products may ultimately lead
to improving health, beauty
and household care products
that we use every day.
A series of colloid investigations aboard the space
station were conducted from October 2013 to March
2014 using a science platform known as the Advanced
Colloids Experiment (ACE), it is a collaboration
between P&G and Case Western Reserve University.
Though the investigation is designed to help
researchers understand how to optimize stabilizers
for extending product shelf life, the results also
are intended to cut development, production and
transportation costs. Better stabilizers result in better
quality, reduced costs and greener, more concentrated
products that use less plastic packaging, resist
collapse, and remain consistent throughout their life. In
such an improved process, the first ounce coming out
of the bottle will be the same as the last.
Driving P&Gs interest in research on the station is the
fact that about two thirds of its biggest brands are soft-
matter systemsthings like fabric softener, deodorant
and detergentthat could benefit from this study.
Armed with a better understanding of the nature of the

127
 Similar to what is under investigation in the Advanced Colloids Experiment, the above microscopic view of product
sample gel in microgravity is dominated with fragile strands composed of many particles in a cross-section. The
Model of gel structure above reveals characteristics hidden by gravity.
Image credit:NASA

fluids separation, researchers can work on creating One reason P&G is involved in this research is its
better stabilizers and product formulations. interest in understanding phase separation kinetics
ACE-M-1 studied behavior of microscopic particles of colloids, masked by gravity on Earth. The small
in liquids, gels and creams. ACE-M-2 is currently blobs that form and grow in microgravity, instead of
operating on the space station and continues work
in phase separation and how to influence phase
separation. The investigation examines the behavior
of model colloid-rich liquids and model colloid-poor
gases near the critical point, or the point at which no
distinct boundary exists between the two phases.
ACE-M-2 records micro-scale events on short time
scales, while previous experiments observed large
scale behavior over many weeks. Liquids and gases
of the same material usually have different densities
and so would behave differently under the influence
of gravity, making the microgravity environment of the
International Space Station ideal for these experiments.
The ACE-M-3 experiment involves the design and
assembly of complex three-dimensional structures
from small particles suspended within a fluid medium.
These so-called self-assembled colloidal structures European Space Agency astronaut Paolo
are vital to the design of advanced optical materials. Nespoli operates the Light Microscopy Module
Researching them in the microgravity environment will microscope aboard the International Space
provide insight into the relation between particle shape, Station on a previous mission.
crystal symmetry and structure: a fundamental issue in Image credit:NASA
condensed-matter science.

128
the simple top and bottom phase seen on Earth, allow of normal weight-bearing activities in the microgravity
recording of the kinetics of this process. The scientific environment. Using nutrition and specific exercises,
insights that result from having this data available the crew aboard the International Space Station can
can lead to more efficient and improved product partially mitigate these concerns. This accelerated
formulations that are less expensive to produce and/or aspect of bone loss in spaceflight provides an
provide longer shelf life. For a product such as Downy, opportunity for researchers to identify the mechanisms
with sales of about $4 billion a year, even a small one that control bones at a cellular level. While most people
percent savings in production costs or a slightly longer will never experience life in space, the benefits of
shelf life provides a significant return on the investment. studying bone and muscle loss aboard the station has
P&G will spend $10 million this year on research to the potential to touch lives here on the ground.
address product shelf life problems. Bone loss from osteoporosis is a major concern for the
The results of this work can impact far more than elderly. However, inactivity from injury, illness, or mal-
fabricsoftener. nutrition from anorexia or dietary challenges can lead
The potential for the ACE research application in to bone breakdown in otherwise healthy people. For
other areas is something that continues to grow. For some time, researchers have tried to understand this
instance, advanced colloidal formulas also could phenomenon and have looked at rodents flown aboard
conceivably lead to improvements in items such as
liquid pharmaceuticals, which can be ineffective or
even dangerous if not properly mixed when consumed.
With better formulations, consumers could look
forward to the certainty of a perfect product every time.
Gaining a better understanding of the physical
processes of particles obtained through ACE samples,
for example, may greatly impact the quality, production
and longevity of commercial products. Using
microgravity to study the exceptionally small particles,
known as colloids, which make up these types of liquid
products, researchers can gain more insight into their
characteristics. This may ultimately aid research efforts
in improving products people use every day.

Space mice teach us about muscle and

bone loss
Bone breakage, buildup and eventual loss have a
significant impact on our bodies. Bone loss occurs
at an accelerated rate in space because of the lack

Now that the station is

complete, rodent research
can continue for longer test A view inside of the NASA Rodent Research facility,
runs than shuttle missions self-contained habitat that provides its occupants
living space, food, water, ventilation, and lighting.
permitted, thereby increasing Cabin air is exchanged with the facility, creating
data collection and the a slight negative pressure inside the cage to pull
animal waste into a collection filter.
potential for discovery.
Image credit:NASA

129
space shuttle missions to the space station in a series
of experiments using the Commercial Biomedical Test-
ing Module (CBTM).
The CBTM studies came about as a result of two
former Bioserve graduate students going to work
for Amgen, a California-based biopharmaceutical
company. The students interested Amgen in
testing in microgravity three drugs that were under
developmenttwo targeting bone loss and one
targeting muscle atrophy. Not only did Amgen provide
substantial funding for the three investigations, the
company also contributed significant in-kind resources.
Bone remodelingthe natural breakdown and rebuild-
ing of boneoccurs in a balanced fashion in healthy
bone so that the rate of rebuilding, known as forma-
tion, equals the rate of breakdown and absorption,
known as resorption. This cycle of breakdown and
buildup helps us to maintain skeletal strength and
repair injuries such as fractures, so we can continue to
enjoy normal mobility. When this natural process is out
of balance, bones and health may suffer.
The first investigation launched in 2001 and looked at
using Osteoprotegrin (OPG), while in 2011 researchers
flew a sclerostin antibody treatment. OPG and the
sclerostin antibody are used as drugs to mitigate bone
loss and are based on naturally occurring molecules
in the body. The 2007 flight studied myostatin, a
preclinical therapy for treating muscle loss. All three
therapeutics, which were in preclinical development
with Amgen during the time of their flights, had positive
impacts on maintaining bone strength.
Moving therapies from the lab to the medicine cabinet
takes time, as did the progression of these studies,
which spanned a decade in orbit as the space station
was under construction. This duration enabled
advances in the ways researchers conducted their
microgravity investigations, including enhancements to
the available tools for analysis.
Now that the station is complete, this research can
continue for longer test runs than shuttle missions
permitted, thereby increasing data collection and the
potential for discovery.
Protein crystals in microgravity
Pharmaceutical companies have developed myriad
ways to fight ailments from arthritis to cancer, but
the bodys immune systems inspired the newest
weapons in their arsenal. A new generation of drugs
targets specific attackers, sparking immune cells into
action. These drugs, called monoclonal antibodies
130
The main goal is the devel-
opment of new, biologically
based drugs, providing even
tougher weapons for physi-
cians fighting human diseases.
(MABs), are engineered proteins that bind themselves
to substances that cause disease. Monoclonal
antibodies can be created for almost any target inside
a cell or on its surface, allowing greater specificity and
fewer side effects than conventional therapies. They
include top-selling drugs used to treat several types of
inflammation and cancer.
To be effective, though, MABs have to be dispensed
in large quantities, which can make them difficult to
administer to patients. Rather than simply swallowing
a pill, people receiving MAB therapy must receive
injections or intravenous infusions. Now research
on the International Space Station is changing that.
By taking MABs into space and crystallizing them in
microgravity, Merck Research Laboratories is working
toward high-concentration, high-quality mixtures that
can be given to patients more efficiently.
Space is an excellent environment to study complex,
three-dimensional proteins, because gravity and
convective forces do not get in the way of crystal
formation, which allows creation of larger and more
perfect crystals. With large crystals, scientists on the
The difference between protein crystals grown on
the ground (top) versus in microgravity (bottom).
Image credit:Merck
ground can use X-ray crystallography to determine
how the protein is organized. Determining protein
structures helps researchers design new drugs. The overall goal is to use ISS
The first experiment on the space station yielded to learn more about muscle
crystals larger than those that could be grown on wasting so scientists and
the ground, which was promising. Merck continued
space-based protein crystallization experiments on 10 drug companies can help
separate shuttle flights. patients who are at risk.
Based on these previous findings, Paul Reichert,
chemistry research fellow at Merck, expects to grow
uniform suspensions of 5-micron crystals without
impurities that can develop on Earth. He also plans
atrophy happens more gradually here. Ultimately,
to study how temperature gradients can affect the
atrophy affects everyone, as all humans lose muscle as
beginning of crystal formation, or nucleation. Reichert
they get older.
flew two different MAB experiments on the SpaceX-3
cargo flight in April 2014 and is planning additional Scientists still are not sure what happens to trigger
experiments to launch on the SpaceX-6 flight, planned muscle loss. Atrophy comes from many pathways
for April 2015. in the body, from different cell signaling processes
to removal of proteins and loss of amino acids. If
These high concentrations of protein crystals could
scientists can understand how these pathways
improve the way patients receive MABs to treat a wide
regulate muscle mass, they might be able to develop
range of diseases. Because MABs have to be deliv-
new treatments for diseases. First, though, they need a
ered in large amounts, they are usually administered
better picture of atrophy itself, and the study of rodents
intravenously in a hospital, where a patient would have
is helping. By observing changes to the genetic
to wait for several hours to receive the full dose. Highly
activity of mice, scientists at the Novartis Institutes for
concentrated suspensions of crystallized proteins, pro-
BioMedical Research (NIBR) hope to learn more about
duced in microgravity, could instead be given in a sim-
microgravitys effects on muscle mass.
ple shot in a doctors office. The fluid would look similar
to milk, Reichert said, opaque with high concentrations The Novartis team got involved at the invitation of
of crystallized MABs making it appear white. the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space
(CASIS), which manages the National Laboratory.
Highly-concentrated MAB mixtures also would be
Samuel Cadena and his colleagues at Novartis have
more efficient to ship and store. Currently, different
components of MAB treatments are manufactured at
different sites and then shipped overseas or to different
places in the United States to be formulated into drugs
given to patients.
Reichert hopes the work will attract other scientists
who want to conduct advanced research in space. But
the main goal is the development of new, biologically
based drugs, providing even tougher weapons for
physicians fighting human diseases.

Muscle atrophy: Mice on the ISS helping

life on Earth
Muscles atrophy, or waste away, when they are not
used. In microgravity, muscles atrophy even in those
who exercise regularly. Without normal gravity to work
against, in fact, some muscles begin to atrophy within NASAs rodent habitat module seen with both
days after an astronaut reaches orbit. Some people still access doors open.
on Earth experience muscle loss because of diseases
Image credit:NASA
or injuries that can make it harder to move, although

131
been studying atrophy for several years, and consider
using the space station to further their work a unique
opportunity.
Cadena and his research partners are studying mice
genetically engineered to resist muscle loss. Called
knockout mice, these animals lack specific genes that
would enable them to make a protein called Muscle
Ring Finger-1, or MuRF-1, which hastens muscle loss
by labeling certain proteins for degradation. Expression
of this protein increases in several muscle atrophy
situations, including spaceflight.
One group of 10 MuRF-1 knockout mice flew to
the space station on SpaceX-4, arriving on Sept.
23, 2014. A second set stayed at NASAs Kennedy
Space Center. Each group was accompanied by an
experimental control group of 10 mice whose genes
were not changed. The animals stayed in space for
three weeks then were euthanized and sent back to
Earth for study. Researchers are still analyzing early
data, but expect that the knockout mice experienced
less atrophy than the control mice, helping to validate
the MuRF-1 model.
The overall goal is to learn more about muscle wasting
so scientists and drug companies can help patients
who are at risk. The partnerships that enable research
aboard the orbiting laboratory continue to push the
envelope of science in space, seeking answers to
propel exploration and benefit people on Earth.

132
133
Link to Archived Stories
and Videos
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/benefits/index.html

134
Authors and Principal Investigators
by Section
Principal Investigator (PI) listed for stories focused on a specific space station investigation.
Human Health
Robotic arms lend a healing touch
Author: CSA
PI: Dr. Garnette Sutherland, University of Calgary
Robots from space lead to one-stop breast cancer
diagnosis treatment
Author: Jessica Eagan, NASA
PI: Dr. Mehran Anvari, Scientific Director & CEO, Centre
for Surgical Invention & Innovation (CSii), Hamilton,
Canada.
Improved eye surgery with space hardware
Author: ESA
PI: A. Clarke, Charit Universittsmedizin, Berlin,
Germany
Sensor technologies for high-pressure jobs
andoperations
Author: ESA
PI: Hans-Christian Gunga, Charit Universittsmedizin,
Berlin, Germany
Bringing space station ultrasound to the ends of
theEarth
Author: Mark Wolverton, NASA
PI: Scott Dulchavsky, M.D., Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit,
Michigan
Are you asthmatic? Your new helper comes
fromspace
Author: ESA
PI: Lars Karlsson and Lars Gustafsson, Karolinska
Institutet, Dept of Physiology and Pharmacology,
Stockholm, Sweden
Cold plasmas assist in wound healing
Author: NASA
PI: Dr. Hubertus M. Thomas, Deutsches Zentrum fr
Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany;
Prof. V.E. Fortov, Institute for High Energy Densities
(IHED, RAS), Russia
Preventing bone loss in spaceflight with
prophylactic use of bisphosphonate: Health
promotion of the elderly by space medicine
technologies
Author: Hiroshi Ohshima, JAXA
PI: Adrian Leblanc, United Space Research Association,
and Toshio Matsumoto, Tokushima University
Improved scanning technologies and insights
into osteoporosis
Author: ESA
PI: Christian Alexandre, M.D., University of St. Etienne,
France
Good diet, proper exercise help protect astronauts
bones
Author: Bill Jeffs, NASA
PI: Scott Smith and Jean Sibonga, NASA
Add salt? Astronauts bones say please dont
Author: ESA
PI: Petra Frings-Meuthen, German Aerospace
Center (DLR)
Early detection of immune changes prevents painful
shingles in astronauts and in Earth-bound patients
Authors: Satish K. Mehta, Duane L. Pierson, and C.
Mark Ott, NASA
PI: Satish K. Mehta, Duane L. Pierson, and C. Mark Ott,
NASA
Station immunology insights for Earth and space
Author: Jessica Nimon, NASA
PI: Millie Hughes-Fulford, Director of the Laboratory of
Cell Growth at the University of California, San Francisco
Targeted treatments to improve immune response
Author: ESA
PI: M. Maccarrone, N. Battista, University of Teramo,
Teramo, Italy
High-quality protein crystal growth experiment
aboard Kibo
Authors: Mitsugu Yamada and Kazunori Ohta, JAXA
PI: Over 80 Principal investigators conducted JAXA
protein crystal growth experiments on the ISS.
Cancer-targeted treatments from space station
discoveries
Author: Laura Niles, NASA
PI: Dennis Morrison, NASAs Johnson Space Center
and NuVue Therapeutics, Inc.
Using weightlessness to treat multiple ailments
Authors: I. B. Kozlovskaya and Ye. S. Tomilovskaya,
Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian
Academy of Sciences (IBMP RAS), Moscow, Russia
PI: Ye. S. Tomilovskaya
135
Microbiology applications from fungal research
inspace
Author: ESA
PI: D. Hasegan, G. Mogildea, Romanian Institutes of
Space Science and Biology, Bucharest, Romania;
E. Chatzitheodoridis, National Technical University
of Athens, Greece
Plant growth on ISS has global impacts on Earth
Author: Tara Ruttley, NASA
PI: Weijia Zhou, Ph.D., of the Wisconsin Center
for Space Automation and Robotics, University of
Wisconsin-Madison
Experiments with higher plants on the Russian
Segment of the International Space Station
Authors: V. N. Sychev, M. A. Levinskikh, I. G. Podolsky,
Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian
Academy of Sciences (IBMP RAS), Moscow, Russia;
G. E. Bingham (Utah State University, Space Dynamics
Laboratory, Logan, Utah, USA)
PI: V. N. Sychev, M. A. Levinskikh, I. G. Podolsky, G. E.
Bingham
Colleagues from many Russian and non-Russian
organizations participated in carrying out work
according to the Rasteniya program in the Lada
greenhouse on the ISS RS. The contributions of S. A.
Gostimsky (M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University),
and M. Sugimoto (Okayama University, Institute of
Bioresources, Okayama, Japan) should be especially
noted.
Space cardiology for the benefit of health care
Authors: R. M. Baevsky, Ye.Yu. Bersenev, I.I. Funtova,
Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian
Academy of Sciences (IBMP RAS), Moscow, Russia
PI: R. M. Baevsky, Ye.Yu. Bersenev, I.I. Funtova
Biological rhythms in space and on Earth
Authors: NaomuneYamamoto, JAXA and Kuniaki
Otsuka, Tokyo Womens Medical University
PI: Chiaki Mukai, JAXA
Innovative space-based device promotes restful
sleep on Earth
Authors: R. M. Baevsky, Ye. S. Luchitskaya, I. I.
Funtova, Institute of Biomedical Problems of the
Russian Academy of Sciences (IBMP RAS), Moscow,
Russia
PI: R. M. Baevsky, Ye. S. Luchitskaya, I. I. Funtova
New technology simulates microgravity and
improves balance on Earth
Authors: I.B. Kozlovskaya, I.V. Sayenko, Institute of
Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of
Sciences (IBMP RAS), Moscow, Russia
PI: I.B. Kozlovskaya
136
New ways to assess neurovestibular system health
in space also benefits those on Earth
Authors: L. N. Kornilova, I. A. Naumov, G. A.
Ekimovskiy, Yu. I. Smirnov, Institute of Biomedical
Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBMP
RAS), Moscow, Russia
PI: L. N. Kornilova, I. A. Naumov, Yu. I. Smirnov
Space research leads to non-pharmacological
treatment and prevention of vertigo, dizziness and
equilibrium disturbances
Authors: L. N. Kornilova, I. A. Naumov, G. A.
Ekimovskiy, Institute of Biomedical Problems of the
Russian Academy of Sciences (IBMP RAS), Moscow,
Russia
PI: L. N. Kornilova, I. A. Naumov, G. A. Ekimovskiy
Capturing the secrets of weightless movements for
Earth applications
Authors: Salvatore Pignataro, Gabriele Mascetti,
Italian Space Agency
PI: Francesco Lacquaniti, Center of Space Biomedicine,
University of Rome Tor Vergata;
Giancarlo Ferrigno, Department of Electronics,
Information and Bioengineering
Space technologies in the rehabilitation of
movement disorders
Authors: I.V. Sayenko, I.B. Kozlovskaya, Institute
of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy
of Sciences (IBMP RAS), Moscow, Russia
PI: I.V. Sayenko
Earth Observation and Disaster Response
Earth remote sensing from the space station
Author: ISS Program Earth Observations Working Group
Coastal ocean sensing extended mission
Author: Curtiss Davis, College of Earth, Ocean, and
Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
PI: Mary E. Kappus, US Naval Research Laboratory;
Michael R. Corson, US Naval Research Laboratory
Visual and instrumental scientific observation of the
ocean from space
Authors: A. N. Yevguschenko, State Organization
Gagarin Research&Test Cosmonaut Training
Center; B. V. Konovalov, P. P. Shirshov Institute of
Oceanography of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Space station camera captures Earthly disaster
scenes
Authors: Dauna Coulter and Jaganathan Ranganathan,
SERVIR Team, NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center
PI: Burgess Howell, NASA
Clear high-definition images aid disaster response
Authors: Hideaki Shinohara and Sayaka Umemura, JAXA
PI: Chikara Harada, JAXA
Innovative Technology Global Education

Advanced ISS technology supports water Inspiring the next generation of students with the
purification efforts worldwide International Space Station
Author: Arun Joshi, NASA Author: Jessica Nimon, NASA
PI: Donald L. Carter, Robyn Gatens PI: NASA, CSA, ESA, JAXA, Roscosmos

Exploring the wonders of fluid motion: Improving Student scientists receive unexpected results from
life on Earth through understanding the nature of research in space
Marangoni convection Author: Jessica Nimon, NASA
Author: Satoshi Matsumoto, JAXA PI: Zahaan Bharmal
PI: Hiroshi Kawamura, Tokyo University of Science, Europes alliance with space droids
Koichi Nishino, Yokohama National University, Shinichi Author: ESA
Yoda, JAXA, Yasuhiro Kamotani, Case Western Reserve PI: ESA
University, Satoshi Matsumoto, JAXA
NASA has HUNCH about student success in
Space station-inspired mWater app identifies engineering
healthy water sources
Author: Laura Niles
Author: Jessica Nimon, NASA
PI: John and Annie Feighery, mWater Tomatosphere: Sowing the seeds of discovery
through student science
Space-tested fluid flow concept advances
Author: CSA
infectious disease diagnoses
PI: Michael Dixon, University of Guelph
Author: Mike Giannone, NASA Glenn Research Center
PI: Mark Weislogel, NASA Students photograph Earth from space via Sally
Ride EarthKAM program
Improving semiconductors with nanofibers
Author: Arun Joshi, NASA
Author: Masato Katsuta, JAXA PI: Sally Ride, Karen Flammer
PI: Takatoshi Kinoshita, Graduate School of Engineering,
Nagoya Institute of Technology Try zero G2: Igniting the passion of the next
generation in Asia
InSPACEs big news in the nano world Author: Yayoi Miyagawa, JAXA
Author: Mike Giannone, NASA PI: JAXA
PI: Eric M. Furst, University of Delaware
Asian students work with astronauts in space
Deploying small satellites from ISS missions
Author: Hitoshi Morimoto, JAXA Author: Muneo Takaoki, JAXA
PI: Yusuke Matsumura, JAXA PI: Kibo-ABC (Asian Beneficial Collaboration through
Pinpointing time and location Kibo Utilization) Initiative
Author: ESA Educational benefits of the space experiment
PI: Felix Huber, Steinbeis Transferzentrum Raumfahrt, Shadow-beacon on ISS
Gaufelden - Stuttgart, Germany Author: V.A. Strashinskiy, Central Research Institute for
Space station technology demonstration could Machine Building (FGUP TsNIIMash)
boost a new era of satellite-servicing PI: V.A. Strashinskiy, (FGUP TsNIIMash)
Author: Adreinne Alessandro, NASA Students get fit the astronaut way
PI: Frank J. Cepollina, Benjami B. Reed Author: Jessica Nimon, NASA
Cool flame research aboard space station may lead PI: Charles Lloyd, NASA
to a cleaner environment on Earth Inspiring youth with a call to the International Space
Author: Mike Giannone, NASA Station
PI: Folman Williams, Daniel L. Dietrich Authors: Jessica Nimon and Camille Alleyne, NASA
Robonauts potential shines in multiple space, PI: Frank Bauer
medical and industrial applications Calling cosmonauts from home
Author: Laura Niles Author: S.V.Avdeev, FGUP TsNIIMash
PI: Myron A. Diftler PI: Space experiment Coulomb Crystal V.Ye.Fortov,
Joint Institute for High Temperatures of the Russian

137
Academy of Sciences Mission critical: Flatworm experiment races the
Space experiment Shadow-Beacon O.M.Alifanov, clock after splashdown
Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research Author: Craig Simon, President and CEO
University); V.A.Strashinskiy, FGUP TsNIIMash Company name: FedEx SupplyChain
Space experiment MAI-75 - O.M.Alifanov,
Economic development of space in JAXA
V.K.Odelevskiy; Moscow Aviation Institute (National
Research University) Authors: Sayaka Umemura and Kazuyuki Tasaki, JAXA
Space experiment Great Start M.Yu.Belyaev, OAO Company and organization names: Mitsubishi Electric
Rocket and Space Corporation Energia after S.P. (MELCO)/Orbital Sciences Corporation, Japan Space
Korolev Forum, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Fuji Chemical
Co., Ltd., Shiseido Co., Ltd., Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.,
MAI-75 experiment, main results and prospects for Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS)/
development in education Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA)/Brazilian
Authors: O. M. Alifanov, S. O. Firsyuk, V. K. Odelevsky Space Agency (AEB)/Brazilian National Institute for
(Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research Space Research (INPE), Interprotein Corporation,
University)); N. S. Biryukova (Central Research Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., ARKRAY, and
Institute for Machine Building (FGUP TsNIIMash)); S. Junkosha Inc.
N. Samburov, A. I. Spirin (OAO Rocket and Space
Corporation Energia after S.P. Korolev (RSC-Energia)) Colloids in space: Where consumer products and
science intersect
PI: O. M. Alifanov, V. K. Odelevsky, Moscow Aviation
Institute (National Research University) Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
PI: David A. Weitz, Harvard University; Matthew Lynch,
Economic Development of Space Proctor and Gamble
Space mice teach us about muscle and bone loss
Water production in space: Thirsting for a solution
Authors: Rebecca Boyle, Kathy Watkins-Richardson
Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
and Melissa Gaskill
Company name: UTC Aerospace Systems
PI: H. Q. Han, Amgen Research
Commercialization of low-Earth Orbit (LEO)
Protein crystals in microgravity
Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
Authors: Rebecca Boyle and Melissa Gaskill
Company name: NanoRacks, LLC
PI: Paul Reichert, Merck Research Laboratories
Innovative public-private partnerships for ISS cargo
Muscle atrophy: Mice on the ISS helping life on
services: Part 1
Earth
Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
Authors: Rebecca Boyle, Kathy Watkins-Richardson
Company name: SpaceX
and Melissa Gaskill
Innovative public-private partnerships for ISS cargo PI: Samuel Cadena, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical
services: Part 2 Research
Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
Company name: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Precision pointing platform for Earth observations
from the ISS
Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
Company name: Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.
The Groundbreaker: Earth observation
Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
Company name: UrtheCast
A flock of CubeSats photographs our changing
planet
Authors: Rebecca Boyle and Melissa Gaskill
Company name: Planet Labs
Stretch your horizons, Stay Curious
Authors: Kathy Watkins-Richardson, Melissa Gaskill
Company name: Kentucky Space/Space Tango, Inc.

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